Soft Fluidic Closed-Loop Controller for Untethered Underwater Gliders

Abstract--Soft underwater robots typically explore bioinspired designs at the expense of power efficiency when compared to traditional underwater robots, which limits their practical use in real-world applications. A soft hydrostatic pressure sensor is configured as a bangbang controller actuating a swim bladder made from silicone balloons. Due to its simple design, low cost, and ease of fabrication using FDM printing and soft lithography, it serves as a starting point for the exploration of non-electronic underwater soft robots. A. Traditional Underwater Gliders Over the last several decades, underwater gliders have gained popularity among autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) [1], [2]. Compared to other AUVs, underwater gliders can achieve greater traveling distances, lower power consumption, and improved cost effectiveness.