Marine-Inspired Multimodal Sensor Fusion and Neuromorphic Processing for Autonomous Navigation in Unstructured Subaquatic Environments

Highlights: A novel bio-inspired neuromorphic framework was developed, co-designing marine-inspired sensors (quantum magnetoreception, tactile-chemical sensing, and hydrodynamic flow detection) with event-based neuromorphic processors. The proposed architecture is theorized to significantly reduce positional drift and improve recovery from disorientation compared to state-of-the-art navigation systems. This work provides a robust, energy-efficient paradigm for autonomous underwater navigation in GPS-denied, murky, or complex environments, enabling longer missions for deep-sea exploration and infrastructure inspection. It demonstrates the transformative potential of tightly coupling bio-inspired sensing with neuromorphic processing, offering a blueprint for next-generation autonomous systems that mimic the fault tolerance and efficiency of marine organisms. Autonomous navigation in GPS-denied, unstructured environments such as murky waters or complex seabeds remains a formidable challenge for robotic systems, primarily due to sensory degradation and the computational inefficiency of conventional algorithms. Drawing inspiration from the robust navigation strategies of marine species such as the sea turtle’s quantum-assisted magnetoreception, the octopus’s tactile-chemotactic integration, and the jellyfish’s energy-efficient flow sensing this study introduces a novel neuromorphic framework for resilient robotic navigation, fundamentally based on the co-design of marine-inspired sensors and event-based neuromorphic processors. Current systems lack the dynamic, context-aware multisensory fusion observed in these animals, leading to heightened susceptibility to sensor failures and environmental perturbations, as well as high power consumption. This work directly bridges this gap. Our primary contribution is a hybrid sensor fusion model that co-designs advanced sensing replicating the distributed neural processing of cephalopods and the quantum coherence mechanisms of migratory marine fauna with a neuromorphic processing backbone. Enabling real-time, energy-efficient path integration and cognitive mapping without reliance on traditional methods. This proposed framework has the potential to significantly enhance navigational robustness by overcoming the limitations of state-of-the-art solutions. The findings suggest the potential of marine bio-inspired design for advancing autonomous systems in critical applications such as deep-sea exploration, environmental monitoring, and underwater infrastructure inspection.