From Air to Ocean Floor: Stony Brook Engineers Develop Next-Generation Marine Robots
Coastal regions and waterways are critical to global trade, but their dynamic environments—shaped by turbulent currents, changing salinity, and unpredictable conditions—make them difficult to monitor and navigate. Researchers at Stony Brook University and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) are developing a new generation of small-scale, crab-inspired robots designed to rapidly deploy across air, water, and underwater environments.
Supported by a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR), the project aims to create a two-part cross-domain robotic system capable of transitioning from the air to the water and eventually to the ocean floor. The Stony Brook University team, led by PI Assistant Professor William Stewart and Co-PI Associate Professor Nilanjan Chakraborty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is studying the transition from air to water, while researchers at CWRU are investivating locomotion and interaction with objects on the sea floor.
The project draws inspiration from nature’s ability to navigate complex environments. Crabs, for example, can move effectively across different surfaces and through challenging terrain, making them an ideal model for developing adaptable robotic systems.
The Stony Brook team is focusing on the development of multifunctional robotic limbs and soft structures that allow the robots to operate in both aerial and aquatic environments. By incorporating shape-changing materials and bio-inspired designs, the researchers are working to overcome the challenge of creating robotic systems that can adapt to the vastly different conditions of air and water.
Unlike traditional underwater vehicles that can be costly and time-consuming to deploy, small-scale aerially deployed robots could be produced affordably and distributed widely, enabling rapid response and real-time monitoring of critical waterways.
The project will also establish a new ocean-like testing facility at Stony Brook University equipped to recreate conditions such as wind and waves. This facility will allow researchers to test robotic designs, validate performance, and rapidly refine prototypes.
These advanced robotic systems could support a range of future applications, including maritime reconnaissance, communications, environmental monitoring, and unexploded ordinance remediation. As recent global conflicts have demonstrated the growing impact of low-cost air and sea-based drones, developing next-generation autonomous systems is increasingly important for maintaining technological advantage.
Through collaboration between Stony Brook University and Case Western Reserve University, this research is advancing the field of cross-domain robotics and laying the groundwork for future autonomous systems capable of operating across some of the world’s most challenging environments.
For more information: