‘Like a flowing material’: Robot swarm uses physics, not commands to self-organize

Cornell researchers built the Cross-Link Collective, a linked robot swarm that moves like a flowing material.

Instead of centralized commands, the robots use shape, weak Velcro links, and physical forces to coordinate across slopes and obstacles.

A simple buzzing signal can slow nearby robots so a separated unit can rejoin the group.

The design is built for resilience, so the system can keep functioning even if some modules fail.

The study, published in Science Robotics, points to more adaptable robots for unpredictable environments.