Engineers from MIT and EPFL have created a bird-scale robot capable of flying, swimming, diving, and launching itself from water using flapping wings [1, 2].
This development addresses a significant knowledge gap in biomechanics regarding how diving birds, such as puffins or penguins, navigate the transition between air and water [3, 4]. By simulating these movements, researchers can better understand the mechanical compromises required for aerial-aquatic locomotion [3, 4].
The project was a collaborative effort between laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland [1, 5]. The resulting lightweight robot does not rely on traditional propellers or feet to move between mediums [3, 4].
According to reports from July 2026, the robot can effectively swim and plunge underwater before propelling itself back into the air [6, 7]. This ability to shift seamlessly from underwater swimming to aerial flight allows the team to investigate the kinematics of animal movement in a controlled setting [5].
The researchers focused on the specific physical trade-offs that occur when a single set of appendages must function in two fluids of vastly different densities [3, 4]. The robot serves as a physical model to test theories on how nature optimizes wing shape and flapping frequency for dual-purpose travel [3].
“The robot can flap its wings to fly in air, swim and dive underwater.”
The creation of a robot that mimics the dual-medium locomotion of diving birds provides a critical tool for studying evolutionary biology and fluid dynamics. By isolating the mechanical requirements for both flight and diving, scientists can develop more efficient autonomous vehicles for oceanographic research and environmental monitoring in coastal regions.
