This project supports research that looks to advance robot mobility in challenging natural environments where land meets water—such as wetlands, mudflats, and tidal zones. Accessing these areas is important for performing search and rescue after hurricanes, geological survey, and ecological/environmental monitoring, but they are often challenging for humans or traditional robots to traverse, because the soft, unstable wet sandy and muddy ground can suddenly shift from solid to fluid-like, causing wheels and legs to slip, sink, or become stuck. This research seeks to create a bio-inspired robot capable of reliably moving across such environments by learning how to sense and respond to these complex terrain conditions, much like animals such as mudskippers do in nature. The outcomes of this work intend to help robots assist humans with disaster response, environmental monitoring, and scientific exploration in water–land transition zones that are currently inaccessible. The project will also provide interdisciplinary training for students from high school through doctoral levels and contribute to public STEM education through outreach and publicly shared datasets, videos, and simulations. The research team looks to create a new robot inspired by mud-dwelling amphibious fishes that can adapt their movement strategies as they encounter different types of wet sandy and muddy terrain. The approach combines the team’s expertise in robotic locomotion, sensing, control, bio-inspirat