TECH – A team of roboticists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, has unveiled a new class of snail-inspired swarm robots that can adapt and collaborate in messy, unpredictable outdoor environments, a significant step forward in bringing swarm robotics out of controlled labs and into the real world, according to Interesting Engineering.
Rather than mimicking insects or spiders, these machines borrow cues from land snails, combining mobility with sticky-like adhesion that lets them adjust to rough ground or uneven terrain. The system is built around a clever two-mode connector mechanism inspired by how real snails switch between smooth crawling and gripping onto surfaces when disturbed, helping groups of robots both move freely and attach securely where needed.
Each robot module can operate independently or join with others, using magnet-embedded tracks for motion and vacuum-style suckers with flexible polymer stalks to lock onto mates in the group. In “free mode,” individuals roll and crawl across grass, rocks or dirt using their tracks to gather information and explore.
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When a task calls for strength or stability, they switch to “strong mode,” clamping together with a firm adhesion that lets the cluster tackle physically demanding jobs. The dual strategy keeps them agile and also robust — something most existing swarms struggle with outside pristine indoor testbeds.
Outdoor experiments have shown these snail robots can self-assemble into larger structures that help the collective cross trenches, climb obstacles, or support heavier loads. One striking demonstration saw the bots act in concert to bridge a gap too wide for any single robot, forming a kind of living ramp before disbanding to continue independently — a vivid example of cooperation emerging from simple rules and form-inspired engineering.
The hardiness of individual robots and the synergy of group behavior hold promise for real-world applications such as disaster response, environmental monitoring, or infrastructure projects where terrain is uneven and conditions unpredictable. Because they don’t rely on precise indoor conditions, engineers see them as a bridge toward practical swarm deployment. While many swarm concepts remain experimental, the snail-inspired design shows how nature’s humble movers can teach machines to work together intelligently outside the lab, blending flexibility with strength in ways that could redefine field robotics.
