Squid-inspired soft superpropulsion

Daehyun Choi; Paras Singh; Ian Bergerson; Minho Kim; Jieun Park; Halley J. Wallace; Kenny Zhang; Sandy Y. Hsieh; Aqua T. Asberry; Theodore A. Uyeno; William F. Gilly; Hyungmin Park; Daeshik Kang; Chandan Bose; Saad Bhamla

doi:10.48550/arXiv.2605.03239

Squid-inspired soft superpropulsion

Daehyun Choi
, Paras Singh
, Ian Bergerson
, Minho Kim
, Jieun Park
, Halley J. Wallace
, Kenny Zhang
, Sandy Y. Hsieh
, Aqua T. Asberry
, Theodore A. Uyeno
, William F. Gilly
, Hyungmin Park
, Daeshik Kang
, Chandan Bose
, Saad Bhamla

Metallurgy and Materials

Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Preprint

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Abstract

Squid span four orders of magnitude in size yet rely on pulsed jets. We show that the funnel (siphon) is a compliant nozzle whose dilation and recoil lag mantle contraction, storing and returning energy within each pulse, a mechanism we term superpropulsion. Histology reveals a collagen sheath, and chromatophore tracking in two squid species quantifies a repeatable phase lag. Engineered nozzles, 3D fluid-structure simulations, and a reduced-order mathematical model predict > 300% impulse amplification when nozzle response time matches jet acceleration (tau/T = 0.2-0.4), overlapping in vivo timing. Tuned nozzles extend jet reach, enhance plume dispersion, and improve jet-driven boat transport, with gains persisting after 40x miniaturization. Superpropulsion recasts pulsed jets as impedance matching, with a soft nozzle acting as an elastic capacitor that passively shapes impulse delivery in soft robotic thrusters and fluidic actuators.

Original language	English
Publisher	arXiv
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2605.03239
Publication status	Published - 5 May 2026

Keywords

physics.flu-dyn

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10.48550/arXiv.2605.03239Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

2605.03239v1Other version, 32.7 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

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title = "Squid-inspired soft superpropulsion",

abstract = "Squid span four orders of magnitude in size yet rely on pulsed jets. We show that the funnel (siphon) is a compliant nozzle whose dilation and recoil lag mantle contraction, storing and returning energy within each pulse, a mechanism we term superpropulsion. Histology reveals a collagen sheath, and chromatophore tracking in two squid species quantifies a repeatable phase lag. Engineered nozzles, 3D fluid-structure simulations, and a reduced-order mathematical model predict > 300\% impulse amplification when nozzle response time matches jet acceleration (tau/T = 0.2-0.4), overlapping in vivo timing. Tuned nozzles extend jet reach, enhance plume dispersion, and improve jet-driven boat transport, with gains persisting after 40x miniaturization. Superpropulsion recasts pulsed jets as impedance matching, with a soft nozzle acting as an elastic capacitor that passively shapes impulse delivery in soft robotic thrusters and fluidic actuators.",

keywords = "physics.flu-dyn",

author = "Daehyun Choi and Paras Singh and Ian Bergerson and Minho Kim and Jieun Park and Wallace, \{Halley J.\} and Kenny Zhang and Hsieh, \{Sandy Y.\} and Asberry, \{Aqua T.\} and Uyeno, \{Theodore A.\} and Gilly, \{William F.\} and Hyungmin Park and Daeshik Kang and Chandan Bose and Saad Bhamla",

year = "2026",

month = may,

day = "5",

doi = "10.48550/arXiv.2605.03239",

language = "English",

publisher = "arXiv",

type = "WorkingPaper",

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T1 - Squid-inspired soft superpropulsion

AU - Choi, Daehyun

AU - Singh, Paras

AU - Bergerson, Ian

AU - Kim, Minho

AU - Park, Jieun

AU - Wallace, Halley J.

AU - Zhang, Kenny

AU - Hsieh, Sandy Y.

AU - Asberry, Aqua T.

AU - Uyeno, Theodore A.

AU - Gilly, William F.

AU - Park, Hyungmin

AU - Kang, Daeshik

AU - Bose, Chandan

AU - Bhamla, Saad

PY - 2026/5/5

Y1 - 2026/5/5

N2 - Squid span four orders of magnitude in size yet rely on pulsed jets. We show that the funnel (siphon) is a compliant nozzle whose dilation and recoil lag mantle contraction, storing and returning energy within each pulse, a mechanism we term superpropulsion. Histology reveals a collagen sheath, and chromatophore tracking in two squid species quantifies a repeatable phase lag. Engineered nozzles, 3D fluid-structure simulations, and a reduced-order mathematical model predict > 300% impulse amplification when nozzle response time matches jet acceleration (tau/T = 0.2-0.4), overlapping in vivo timing. Tuned nozzles extend jet reach, enhance plume dispersion, and improve jet-driven boat transport, with gains persisting after 40x miniaturization. Superpropulsion recasts pulsed jets as impedance matching, with a soft nozzle acting as an elastic capacitor that passively shapes impulse delivery in soft robotic thrusters and fluidic actuators.

AB - Squid span four orders of magnitude in size yet rely on pulsed jets. We show that the funnel (siphon) is a compliant nozzle whose dilation and recoil lag mantle contraction, storing and returning energy within each pulse, a mechanism we term superpropulsion. Histology reveals a collagen sheath, and chromatophore tracking in two squid species quantifies a repeatable phase lag. Engineered nozzles, 3D fluid-structure simulations, and a reduced-order mathematical model predict > 300% impulse amplification when nozzle response time matches jet acceleration (tau/T = 0.2-0.4), overlapping in vivo timing. Tuned nozzles extend jet reach, enhance plume dispersion, and improve jet-driven boat transport, with gains persisting after 40x miniaturization. Superpropulsion recasts pulsed jets as impedance matching, with a soft nozzle acting as an elastic capacitor that passively shapes impulse delivery in soft robotic thrusters and fluidic actuators.

KW - physics.flu-dyn

U2 - 10.48550/arXiv.2605.03239

DO - 10.48550/arXiv.2605.03239

M3 - Preprint

BT - Squid-inspired soft superpropulsion

PB - arXiv

ER -

Squid-inspired soft superpropulsion

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Keywords

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