Bioinspired Amphibious Soft Robotics with Conformable Ultrasonic Array for Adaptive Defect Mapping and Terrain Reconstruction

Inspection of confined, unstructured, and submerged environments (e.g., pipelines, ship hulls, and flooded infrastructure) remains a persistent challenge due to the limited adaptability of conventional rigid robots and sensing systems. Here, a bioinspired amphibious ultrasonic soft robot (AUS-R) is presented that integrates distributed conformable ultrasonic arrays with a fully soft, gas-driven locomotion system to achieve adaptive defect mapping and 3D terrain reconstruction in both terrestrial and aquatic settings. The AUS-R features a central array for forward-looking defect imaging and terrain echolocation, and peripheral tentacle arrays for boundary sensing and lateral defect detection, enabling real-time full-space environmental perception. Its waterproof and miniaturized design supports seamless navigation through narrow spaces and ensures functional integrity across air-water interfaces. Experimental demonstrations on object-level defects and submerged terrains validate the systems multifunctionality and robustness. This work establishes AUS-R as a versatile platform for non-destructive testing, infrastructure inspection, and autonomous environmental monitoring, laying the groundwork for intelligent, all-scenario robotic sensing systems.