Morphological computation
The contribution of a robot's physical form, geometry, and material properties to behaviors that would otherwise require electronic computation. A passively compliant gripper that conforms to an object's shape without motor control is performing morphological computation; a passive dynamic walker whose leg geometry produces stable locomotion without a controller is another example. Relevant for soft robotics, continuum robots, and bio-inspired systems where the physical design carries part of the intelligence.
Defined in 2 GAGE programs, which carry 5 distinct definitions of it. The wording above is taught in Foundations of Robotics and Physical AI.
How each discipline defines it
The same term does different work depending on who is using it. These are the definitions as each program teaches them, unedited.
The contribution of a robot's physical form, geometry, and material properties to behaviors that would otherwise require electronic computation. A passively compliant gripper that conforms to an object's shape without motor control is performing morphological computation; a passive dynamic walker whose leg geometry produces stable locomotion without a controller is another example. Relevant for soft robotics, continuum robots, and bio-inspired systems where the physical design carries part of the intelligence.
The phenomenon in which a robot's physical form, geometry, and material properties perform work that would otherwise require electronic computation, closely related to but broader than the categories of mechanical intelligence this topic covers. A passive dynamic walker's leg geometry producing a stable gait without any control system is a clear example.
The general principle that a mechanism's own physical shape and material properties can perform work that would otherwise require sensing and computation, of which passive dynamic walking, RHex's compliant legs, and the Strandbeest's linkage geometry are all specific instances.
The contribution of a structure's physical form, material properties, or passive dynamics to a behavior (such as a stable gait or a compliant grasp) that would otherwise require active sensing and computation to achieve. A passive dynamic walker's stable gait, produced entirely by leg geometry and gravity with no onboard computation, is a clear example.
The contribution of a robot's physical form, material properties, or passive dynamics to behaviors or adaptability that would otherwise require electronic computation. Soft robotics is one of the strongest applied domains for this principle, treated in depth in Topic 2.6. (see Topic 2.6)
Terms it appears with
Not an alphabetical neighbourhood: these are the terms taught in the same lessons, ranked by how often they appear together.