Work

Adaptive tunable sensing system inspired by scorpions for dynamic vibration perception in unstructured environments

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Embodied intelligence (EI) requires adaptive vibration perception that dynamically adjusts to target stimuli. However, conventional sensing paradigms with fixed parameters fundamentally limit EI from enabling adaptive perception for wide-range and unpredictable signals. Here, inspired by scorpions, which achieve adaptive and tunable vibration perception through a biological closed loop to reach an optimal detection state for variable vibration stimuli, we developed a Bioinspired Adaptive Tunable Sensing System (BATSS). The BATSS autonomously switches among three sensing states with distinct parameter configurations according to real-time signal variations, achieving an ultrahigh and tunable gauge factor of 17,889–29,558, a wide strain range of 0.012–2.83%, and precise discrimination of vibration amplitudes across a 500-fold dynamic range (0.04–20 g). Integrated into a hexapod robot, BATSS enables adaptive gait and posture modulation in complex terrains, achieving 100% traversal success with a 34.6% shorter traversal time. This work advances embodied perception for interaction with unknown environments and demonstrates strong potential for robotics where adaptability, robustness, and autonomy are essential.

Source: npj Flexible Electronics

DOI: 10.1038/s41528-026-00655-0