A research team led by the University of Oxford in the UK has developed a new type of soft robot that can operate without electronic components, motors, or computational instructions, relying solely on air pressure. Research shows that this "brainless" robot does not rely on a central control system or program instructions, but rather achieves motion and coordination through its own structure and physical interactions with the outside world. This achievement has opened up a new direction for the development of embodied intelligence, which is to directly encode decisions and behaviors into the structure of robots, from "robots controlled by the brain" to "robots whose bodies themselves are intelligent systems". This new type of robot is more efficient and energy-saving, and is expected to achieve adaptive work in scenarios with limited energy and complex environments in the future. Soft robots are made of flexible materials and are adept at traversing complex terrains or manipulating fragile objects. An important goal in this field is to directly incorporate behavior and decision-making mechanisms into the physical structure of robots, enabling them to adapt to the environment without the need for complex perception and programming systems. But how to make this automated behavior naturally emerge has always been a major challenge. Many organisms can achieve body coordination without central control. The research team drew inspiration from nature and designed a modular air pressure unit that can transmit air pressure like current in electronic circuits and perform different mechanical functions. According to the airflow settings, this unit can perform three tasks: move like a muscle under changes in air pressure; Sensing contact changes like tactile sensors; Control the flow of air like a valve. These modules are like Lego bricks, multiple identical units of several centimeters in size can be assembled into different robots without changing the basic design. The team assembled a desktop prototype the size of a shoebox in the laboratory, which can perform actions such as jumping, shaking, crawling, etc. Under specific connections, a single module can perform three functions simultaneously, and can autonomously generate rhythmic movements by continuously applying air pressure. When multiple modules are connected together, they naturally form a synchronized rhythm without any computer control. The team demonstrated two typical devices: a "shaking robot" that can automatically classify beads through a rotating platform; Another type of 'crawling robot' can sense the edge of the desktop and automatically stop to prevent falling. The entire process is entirely achieved through mechanical feedback. This coordinated behavior is not the result of pre-set instructions, but is naturally generated by the interaction between modules and their physical coupling with the environment. This breakthrough transforms robots from being "algorithm driven" to "structure driven", redefining the autonomous logic of robots. At the application level, such robots are expected to break through the limits of traditional electromechanical systems: for example, in extreme environments such as nuclear contaminated areas and human body cavities, the characteristic of having no electronic components can avoid electromagnetic interference and hardware damage; Modular design supports rapid refactoring capabilities, adapting to changing scenarios like biological tissues. Looking further ahead, this technology may lead to the development of self repairing and self evolving mechanical life forms in the future. (New Society)