New underwater wing uses liquid metal sensors to adapt to currents

Engineers from the University of Southampton, Edinburgh, and Delft have developed a bio-inspired soft robotic underwater wing equipped with liquid-metal e-skin and proprioceptive sensing, enabling it to autonomously adapt its shape in response to turbulent water currents. This design mimics the natural proprioception found in birds and fish, allowing the wing to detect shifts in water flow and instantly adjust its stiffness and form via internal hydraulic tubes. Unlike traditional rigid underwater robots that struggle with stability and waste energy fighting currents, this adaptive wing neutralized 87% of turbulence during trials, significantly improving stability and control. The new wing demonstrated nearly double the stabilization performance of a gliding barn owl and outperformed existing underwater technologies by responding four times faster and using five times less energy than other flexible wing systems that rely on heat for shape change. This innovation represents a shift from building tougher, rigid robots to creating smarter, softer machines that work synergistically with dynamic ocean environments. While scaling the technology for large deep-sea vessels remains