We develop active composite materials with robotic capabilities for minimally-invasive medicine,
sustainable manufacturing, and human-material interaction.
Our new lab works at the intersection of mechanics, robotics, materials, and design, benefiting from and contributing to sub-fields such as soft and underactuated robots, architected materials, modular robotics, granular matter, swarm robotics, and circular engineering. We focus on the design, fabrication, modeling, and testing of active composite metamaterials (that can actively change their mechanical properties such as stiffness, strength, yield, and plasticity). These metamaterals which can function not only as structural components but also as actuators and sensors. We develop experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches to address key challenges in minimally invasive medical procedures, sustainable manufacturing, and human-material interaction.
What?
Specific research directions include:
- Remote-controlled magnetic assemblies (um and mm scale) for surgical procedures, which can self-assemble in situ, perform precise delicate procedures as an assembly, and then disassemble for easy removal
- Life-cycle design of robotic aggregates to enable circular sustainability, with the aim of replacing existing irreversible traditional fabrication techniques (e.g. melting) with reversible structural phenomenon (e.g. jamming)
- Metamaterial fabrication and design inspired by traditional craft techniques such as broom-making, basketry, and lacemaking
- Human studies involving physical interaction with active matter, focusing on dynamic changes in object properties such as stiffness or plasticity
How?
We strive to foster a safe, vibrant, transparent, inclusive, and collaborative
lab culture where all our members and collaborators feel seen and heard.
We see ourselves accountable and responsible for communities we are a part of. We
are aware that research institutions, as well as our discipline of engineering,
have a discriminatory past that necessitates ongoing efforts to reflect on the
systems, structures, and norms that govern our work and their impact on all our
community members with intersectional identities including but not limited to
geographical origin, gender, race, financial background, ability, sexual
orientation, and immigration status.
Who?
Our group is new and we are actively hiring!
- For postdoctoral researcher position: click here
- For PhD position: click here