Symmetry and Asymmetry in Dynamics and Control of Biomimetic Robots

A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Engineering and Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1114

Special Issue Editors

Laboratory of Locomotion Bioinspiration and Intelligent Robots, College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Interests: aerodynamics; micro-air vehicles; swarm robotics; control strategy; intelligent material; actuation control; multi-modal perception; bioinspired structure
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College of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Interests: wearable robotics; biomimetic robotics; medical robotics; human–robot interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Hefei 230031, China
Interests: remote handling; heavy-duty arm; end toolbox; intelligent control; bionic robots; snake robots; digital twins; dynamic control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the study of biomimetic robotics, dynamics and control play a fundamental role in replicating the sophisticated movements of natural organisms. These robots often mimic the locomotion of animals, requiring a deep understanding of the interaction between mechanical structures and their surrounding environment, such as air or water. A critical aspect of this research lies in addressing symmetry and asymmetry in their dynamic and control systems. Symmetry, commonly observed in the design of flapping-wing robots or bipedal walkers, simplifies control strategies by assuming balanced movements across bilateral structures, thereby reducing computational complexity and enabling efficient system stabilization. However, in practical scenarios, asymmetry frequently arises due to design imperfections, environmental disturbances, or intentional control strategies tailored for specific tasks. For instance, in robots inspired by insects or birds, asymmetrical wing motions may enhance maneuverability or optimize energy efficiency. Accurately capturing and addressing these asymmetries in dynamic models and control algorithms is vital for achieving realistic and robust performance, particularly in complex and unpredictable environments. This research underscores the importance of balancing the influence of symmetry and asymmetry to develop advanced biomimetic robots capable of adaptive and efficient operation.

Dr. Huan Shen
Dr. Jiajun Xu
Dr. Guodong Qin
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • biomimetic robotics
  • bioinspired structure
  • flexible actuation
  • intelligent control
  • symmetry in robotics
  • asymmetry motion modeling

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

25 pages, 7498 KB  
Article
Emulating Snake Locomotion: A Bioinspired Continuum Robot with Decoupled Symmetric Control
by Lin Li, Junqi Lyu, Youzhi Xu, Ke Sun, Shipeng Tu, Aihong Ji, Huan Shen and Xiaosong Bai
Symmetry 2025, 17(9), 1450; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym17091450 - 4 Sep 2025
Viewed by 747
Abstract
Inspired by the musculoskeletal structure of snakes, this study proposes a cable-driven continuum robotic system, comprising a dual-segment continuum arm and a linear feeding module. The continuum arm provides four joint degrees of freedom through coordinated cable actuation for snake-like bending, while the [...] Read more.
Inspired by the musculoskeletal structure of snakes, this study proposes a cable-driven continuum robotic system, comprising a dual-segment continuum arm and a linear feeding module. The continuum arm provides four joint degrees of freedom through coordinated cable actuation for snake-like bending, while the feeding module enables linear translation along the Z-axis, resulting in a total of five degrees of freedom. A constant-curvature kinematic model is developed, and a real-time inverse kinematics solution based on fifth-order Taylor expansion is proposed. To enhance postural stability, a master–slave teleoperation control framework is implemented that decouples translational motion from orientation control. Leveraging the geometric symmetry of its dual-segment design, the system achieves consistent end-effector orientation by coordinating bending angles and rotation directions between segments. Simulation and experimental results validate the accuracy of the kinematic model and demonstrate the robot’s capability for dexterous, stable movements in confined environments. The proposed continuum robot offers high positioning accuracy, structural adaptability, and strong potential for bioinspired applications in endoscopy and minimally invasive surgical procedures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symmetry and Asymmetry in Dynamics and Control of Biomimetic Robots)
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