Miniaturized Multifunctional Valves for Intelligent Pneumatic Systems in Soft Robotics

Soft robotics stands to benefit significantly from advances in pneumatic circuit‐based actuation, sensing, and on‐board logic. Soft pneumatic valves serve as vital components; however, existing implementations remain limited by insufficient function versatility, constraining their use in intelligent pneumatic architectures. Here, we present a unified framework for miniaturized functional pneumatic valves that provides both normally open (NO) and normally closed (NC) configurations. These valves can execute logic operations (AND, OR, NAND, and NOR) and can be rapidly reconfigured and programmed without physical replumbing or hardware modification. Fast dynamic response is achieved, with time constants as low as 5.2 and 6.1 ms for NO and NC valves, respectively. These valves enable embodied intelligence, as demonstrated in two representative robotic systems. First, we realize a reflexive response with an electronics‐free autonomous soft gripper capable of regulating grasping force. Second, we demonstrate a robotic gripper that integrates valve‐based tactile sensing to classify objects and support higher‐level intelligent control. Together, these results establish multifunctional pneumatic valves as foundational building blocks for intelligent pneumatic systems, enabling decentralized sensing, decision‐making, and adaptive control through physical embodiment. This approach advances soft robotics toward autonomy by embedding intelligence directly into the material and fluidic architecture of the system.