— Lessons from the octopus arm for soft robotic manipulation

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Manipulation and Locomotion are the two most essential tasks for robots.

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This is because

• Manipulation defines how a robot can move the target objects in its working space, and
• Locomotion defines how a robot can move itself in its working space.

These two tasks together define how a robot physically interacts with its environment. While manipulation and locomotion are now easy to accomplish in traditional rigid robots, they are much more complex in soft robots. (If I take the bones out of your arms and legs, how would you perform your daily routine?)

Fortunately, soft-bodied animals in nature can teach us many valuable lessons. In the following two modules, we will explore different strategies for object manipulation and locomotion.

For manipulation with soft body, the octopus arm gives us the most remarkable example. Why don’t we start with some video footage from the BBC Earth?

[Genius Octopus Can Open Jars | BBC Earth](attachment:b009b578-bf78-4035-84a4-030086c7d5a4:Genius_Octopus_Can_Open_Jars_｜_Octopus_In_My_House_｜_BBC_Earth.mov)

Genius Octopus Can Open Jars | BBC Earth

"The Great Sea Horse" (1904)