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This research aims to develop a soft robotic fish that utilizes a unique actuator design for efficient movement.

March 12, 2026Advanced Robotics ResearchOpen Access

A Soft Robotic Fish With a Dielectric Elastomer Actuator Body and Negative Stiffness Spine

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Prototype demonstrates efficient tail fin bending in soft robotic fish, suggesting new avenues for bio-mimetic designs.

This research aims to develop a soft robotic fish that utilizes a unique actuator design for efficient movement.
Developed a soft fish prototype using dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs)
Integrated a flexible spring steel spine to create negative stiffness
Optimized through an analytical model based on energy landscapes
Validated the system experimentally to assess performance
Achieved a fin tip displacement of 55 mm with a nominal electrical field-strength of 60 V/μm
Reached a swimming speed of 6 cm/s at an actuation frequency of 6 Hz
Demonstrated the potential for bio-mimetic applications through mechanical anisotropy use.

Koenigsdorff et al. (2026) studied this question.

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