We are working to create a framework for design, rapid prototyping and control of robust, energy-efficient, autonomous soft arms with octopus-inspired distributed neuromuscular sensing and actuation. The arms will be capable of continuous deformation through the use of hydrogel “muscles” and distributed sensing through the use of embedded silver “neuron” interconnections. Such a unique octopus-inspired design forms a built-in local “sensing-actuation” feedback loop to achieve adaptive reconfiguration in response to the local environment. Such local adaptation will enable the robot to perform high-level tasks such as locomotion and reversible adhesion without coordination from a central controller in a highly accurate, rapid, and energy-efficient way. This study will also produce fundamental principles and theory for the modeling and control of soft robots in a way which leverages their unique capabilities and is inspired by how cephalopod appendages interact with their environment.
Design and Fabrication:
Students
Roozbeh Khodambashi
Simulation of Hydrogel-based robots
Students
Cole Brauer, Jude Brauer, Charles Jeffries
Journal Papers
Khodambashi, R., Alsaid, Y., Rico, R., Marvi, H., Peet, M. M., Fisher, R. E., Berman, S., He, X., & Aukes, D. M. (2021). Heterogeneous Hydrogel Structures with Spatiotemporal Reconfigurability using Addressable and Tunable Voxels. Advanced Materials, 33(10), 2005906. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202005906
Doroudchi, A., Khodambashi, R., Sharifzadeh, M., Li, D., Berman, S., & Aukes, D. M. (2021). Tracking Control of a Miniature 2-DOF Manipulator With Hydrogel Actuators. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 6(3), 4774–4781. https://doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2021.3067622
Alsaid, Y., Wu, S., Wu, D., Du, Y., Shi, L., Khodambashi, R., Rico, R., Hua, M., Yan, Y., Zhao, Y., Aukes, D., & He, X. (2021). Tunable Sponge‐Like Hierarchically Porous Hydrogels with Simultaneously Enhanced Diffusivity and Mechanical Properties. Advanced Materials, 33(20), 2008235. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202008235
Lo, C.-Y., Zhao, Y., Kim, C., Alsaid, Y., Khodambashi, R., Peet, M., Fisher, R., Marvi, H., Berman, S., Aukes, D., & He, X. (2021). Highly stretchable self-sensing actuator based on conductive photothermally-responsive hydrogel. Materials Today. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2021.05.008
Conference Papers and Presentations
Khodambashi, R., Berman, S., He, X., & Aukes, D. M. (2021). Miniaturized Untethered Soft Robots Using Hydrogel-based Soft Voxel Actuators. 2021 IEEE 4th International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft), 571–574. https://doi.org/10.1109/RoboSoft51838.2021.9479329
Brauer, C., & Aukes, D. M. (2020). Automated Generation of Multi-Material Structures Using the VoxelFuse Framework. Symposium on Computational Fabrication, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1145/3424630.3425417
Doroudchi, A., Khodambashi, R., Lafmejani, A. S., Aukes, D. M., & Berman, S. (2020). Dynamic Modeling of a Hydrogel-based Continuum Robotic Arm with Experimental Validation. 2020 3rd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft), 695–701. https://doi.org/10.1109/RoboSoft48309.2020.9116012
Doroudchi, A., Khodambashi, R., Sharifzadeh, M., Li, D., Berman, S., & Aukes, D. M. (2021). Tracking Control of a Miniature 2-DOF Manipulator With Hydrogel Actuators. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 6(3), 4774–4781. https://doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2021.3067622
Patents and Patent Applications
Aukes, D. M., Khodambashi, R., He, X., & Alsaid, Y. (2020). Shape Morphing Soft Material. US Patent Application.
Funding
This project was funded in part by the Office of Naval Research Award N00014-17-1-2117.
Videos
Dynamic Modeling of a Hydrogel-based Continuum Robotic Arm with Experimental Validation
Heterogeneous Hydrogel Structures with Spatiotemporal Reconfigurability using Addressable and Tunable Voxels
Automated Generation of Multi-Material Structures Using the VoxelFuse Framework - SCF20
