A new study focusing on the complex mechanics of the octopus’ weapons brings the cyber octopus’ abilities one step closer to reality. The octopus, a wonder of nature, has attracted the attention of scientists since the 80s. Its unique distributed nervous system allows each of the eight arms to operate independently, making it an interesting model for research.

This study, carried out by a team of talented researchers, has taken a significant step forward not only in understanding the complex functioning of octopus arms, but also in using this knowledge to create advanced robotic systems. The research team includes Armand Techinalp, Ph.D., Son Hyun Kim, Ph.D., Prashant Mehta, Professor, and Mattia Gazzol, Professor, all from the Department of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. .

Octopus Hand Facilities

Professor Gazzola stated that the main aim of this research is to learn how to control a complex system with countless degrees of freedom without resorting to expensive calculations. To achieve this feat, the team turned to an unlikely muse: the octopus.

What followed was a combination of creative scientific methods and the fascinating world of cephalopods, culminating in the “cyberoctopus” ability.

Lessons learned from living animals

“The general motivation is to understand how to control a complex system with many degrees of freedom and find an alternative to doing expensive calculations,” Gazzola said. “The octopus is an interesting model animal that has been studied since the 1980s. [Дослідники] “I want to know the ‘secret’ of your abilities.”

“I’m really interested in learning from living animals and turning some ideas into ideas for making soft robots,” Tekinalp said.

Researchers have stepped into new territory by studying a live octopus in action. They watched the octopus pick up an object and manipulate it through a hole in a plexiglass sheet; This was an experience Gazzola compared to working with a child. By recording these movements, experts were able to obtain valuable movement data that played an important role in the creation of their computational models.

Octopus weapon secrets

Researchers have developed simple models to activate muscles that can perform complex three-dimensional movements. They defined the shape of the hand using topology and differential geometry and controlled it using muscle activation. The result was an extremely accurate computational model that successfully reproduced the complex movements of the octopus arm. The model significantly reduces the degrees of freedom, making calculations less complex.

The future of soft robotics

The results of the research go beyond pure science. As Professor Mehta noted, the computational model serves as a practical testing ground for roboticists to test their algorithms. This research not only helps understand the octopus’ abilities, but also opens promising perspectives into the world of engineering.

Imitation of octopus hand control

The results of the research go beyond academic interest and suggest concrete ways to revolutionize robot design and function. By mimicking the unique flexibility and control of an octopus arm, roboticists can design machines with unprecedented agility and adaptability.

These advances could significantly impact areas such as underwater research and medical procedures, where precision and adaptability are crucial. The potential for more efficient and versatile robots could transform industries by making many tasks safer, faster and more efficient.

Challenges and prospects

Despite these groundbreaking discoveries, the journey to a fully functional “cyber octopus” is not without its challenges. Integration of this new technology into existing structures creates material and technical obstacles.

Additionally, ethical issues regarding the use of bioinspired systems in robotics need to be taken into account. However, the outlook remains extremely encouraging. As researchers continue to draw inspiration from the natural world, the combination of art and science promises to open new horizons in understanding complex biological systems and applying them to real-world challenges.

future aspirations

The research embodies the true spirit of collaboration, reflected in the close collaboration between students from different research groups. The structure of the team continues to evolve as Tekinalp moves into a postdoctoral position at the University of Maryland.

But the journey is not over. The team is excited to expand their technique to control all eight of the octopus’ arms simultaneously; This is an ambitious step towards the realization of a “cyberoctopod”. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.