Design, Sensing, and Control of Hybrid (Soft/Rigid) Robots
Event details
One of the most promising features of soft materials is their physical compliance, this leads to structures with many physical features such as being adaptable, and safe for interactions with the environment. These properties have led many researchers to explore their application in robotics which led to a new field known as soft robotics. Soft robots can have many attractive features, such as bio-inspired robots, bio-mimicking robots, adaptable robots and grippers, wearable devices, and robots for human-robot collaboration. When considering soft robots designed to interact with humans and objects, challenges exist in their design, sensing, and reliable control. In this talk, I will present my work in designing new robotic systems that share the physical features of soft and rigid structures, thereby, taking advantage of compliance of soft actuation and accuracy of rigid structures and their motion to make robots that can be accurate and applicable to human-robot collaboration. This talk will focus on my research in the design of sensing methods for these robots, their integration, and control.