Development of 'OCTOID,' a soft robot that changes color and moves like an octopus

Underwater octopuses change their body color and texture in the blink of an eye to blend perfectly into their surroundings when evading predators or capturing prey. They transform their bodies to match the colors of nearby corals or seaweed, turning blue or red, and move by softly curling their arms or snatching prey. This behavior has long been regarded as the epitome of a 'perfectly transformed robot created by nature'. Such 'soft robot' technology, modeled after biological capabilities, is rapidly evolving thanks to recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced materials science. It is gaining attention as a core field for the future robotics industry.

The research team led by Dr. Dae-Yoon Kim at the Functional Composite Materials Research Center of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Sangrok Oh) has developed a soft robot named 'OCTOID' that freely changes its color and shape, inspired by the camouflage and movement of octopuses. OCTOID is an integrated soft robot that goes beyond simply bending or stretching; it changes color in response to electrical stimulation, moves to match its surroundings, and grasps objects.

The research team developed photonic crystal polymers as the core material. By precisely controlling the helical molecular arrangement and polymer network structure of this material, they achieved a structure capable of both soft, flexible movement and color changes, just like an actual octopus tentacle. When an electrical signal is applied, the material's surface undergoes microscopic contraction and expansion, displaying a continuous color change from blue to green to red. It also performs bending and unfolding motions through asymmetric structural changes. Through this process, OCTOID can simultaneously perform three functions-camouflaging, moving, and grabbing-within a single system, just like a real octopus.

The newly developed 'OCTOID' demonstrates new possibilities for biomimetic soft robotics technology. Its 'triple-in-one' system, combining camouflage, locomotion, and capture functions, is expected to expand into diverse fields such as environmentally adaptive exploration robots, deep-sea rescue and marine ecology monitoring equipment, tactile assistive robots for rehabilitation and medical use, and defense and concealment technology applications.

Dr. Dae-Yoon Kim Principal Researcher at KIST, stated, "Through this research, we have secured materials for soft robots that can be applied to various fields, including autonomous adaptive robots, military camouflage systems, marine exploration robots, and medical micro-robots." He added, "We aim to expand this technology into the development of intelligent soft machines, such as self-aware, reflexive, and learning-based soft robots."

###

KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://www.kist.re.kr/eng/index.do

This research was conducted under the Materials Global Young Connect Project (00448639) and the Nano Connect Project (25442809), supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Bae Kyung-hoon). The research findings were published in the latest issue of the international academic journal Advanced Functional Materials (IF: 19, JCR (%): 4.5%).