Cuddle Fish – A Soft Floating Robot for Safe Physical Interaction

Summary

A picture of the robot prototype Cuddle Fish Flying robots are becoming more and more common. Yet, they also come with safety concerns. Quadrocopter drones, the most popular type, have fast-spinning propellers. Their rigid structures and loud noise levels make them unsuitable for close-range human interaction. Yet, can we design flying robots that people can safely touch and interact with? Our recent work, lead by Mingyang Xu, introduces Cuddle-Fish, a soft floating robot that takes a different approach to aerial robotics. Instead of using propellers, the robot combines a helium-filled soft body with low-frequency flapping wings inspired by animal movement. It’s also the first of its kind that fits in normal indoor environments (like appartments and homes). Its design eliminates the danger of spinning blades while maintaining the ability to move through indoor spaces. The robot’s soft construction allows people to touch it without risk of injury. We tested this with 24 participants who interacted with the robot in a controlled study. What we observed was striking: participants didn’t just tolerate the robot’s presence—they actively engaged with it. Without being prompted, people patted, stroked, and even hugged the robot. Some participants touched it to their cheeks. These spontaneous affective behaviors suggest that the soft, approachable design creates a different kind of relationship between humans and robots. The flapping-wing mechanism serves two purposes. It provides propulsion for controlled movement, and it creates a visual presence that feels more organic than mechanical. The wings move at a low frequency, which keeps the noise level minimal. The helium provides lift, so the wings don’t need to generate the same amount of force as a heavier-than-air vehicle would require. Indoor environments present particular challenges for flying robots. Space is limited, and people expect to move freely without worrying about aerial hazards. Cuddle-Fish addresses these c...