Embodied Sensing for Closed-Loop Manipulation in an Integrated Magnetic Soft Robot

Precision manipulation of magnetic soft robots holds great promise for applications in complex and confined environments, where a single robot could perform diverse tasks on different target objects. However, existing sensing strategies predominantly emphasize the detection of biophysical or biochemical signals or magnetic field measurements, providing limited insight into robots’ internal mechanical behaviors and their interactions with surrounding environments. This gap hinders the realization of high-precision manipulation of robotic systems. Here, we present an integrated magnetic soft robotic platform that integrates two flexible sensors, including a tension sensor and a pressure sensor, directly within a magnetic composite. By coupling embodied sensing with magnetic actuation, the robotic platform achieves feedback-driven, closed-loop manipulation. This approach provides a versatile strategy for achieving precise manipulation with promising applications in biomedical engineering and industrial robotics.