BeetleBot: An integrated bioinspired soft robot for multimodal sensing and adaptive interaction

Biological organisms exhibit tightly integrated motor functions, sensory input, and control systems that enable adaptive behaviors across diverse environments. Emulating such coordination in robotics remains challenging, as most soft machines compartmentalize actuation, sensing, and control. Here, we present BeetleBot, an adaptive beetle-bioinspired soft robot platform that seamlessly integrates programmable locomotion, object manipulation, sensory feedback, and intuitive human-machine interaction. BeetleBot features electrothermally actuated liquid crystal elastomer muscles embedded in modular leg structures and a soft gripper, with a flexible circuit enabling independent control. A wearable strain-sensing patch supports wireless gesture-based operation, while embedded vision and tactile sensors provide real-time environmental feedback. All functional components are fabricated through scalable additive manufacturing techniques. We demonstrate terrain navigation, object recognition, and gesture-control synchronized bidirectional interaction between the user and the robot. This multifunctional platform emulates the adaptability of living systems and establishes a promising foundation for next-generation intelligent soft robotics.