Research Experience

  • Current Project: Developing a seahorse tail-inspired hydraulic soft actuator.
    • Combines pre-curled mechanics and material stiffness for enhanced hooking force.
    • Differentiates from traditional soft actuators that rely solely on hydraulic/pneumatic force.
  • Key Responsibilities:
    • Design and implement characterization experiments.
    • Develop control systems for the actuator.
    • Facilitate application demonstrations.

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  • Experiment setup

  • Skills Developed:
    • Conducted thorough literature reviews to inform experimental design.
    • Streamlined design processes by standardizing protocols based on comparable studies.
    • Minimized variabilities (e.g., vibrations, structural flex) to enhance accuracy and reliability of results.
  • Research Demo: Designed and built a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) extension unit.
    • Functionality: Deploys the actuator as an underwater gripper/anchor.
    • Integrated electronic components and a pressure control system that draws water directly from the ocean.
    • Facilitated underwater tasks such as anchoring and gripping.
    • Served as a demonstration project for visiting professionals in the marine industry.

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  • Underwater demo

  • Collaborative Engagement:

    • Actively participate in weekly research team meetings.
    • Engaged in discussions on diverse issues in soft robotics.
    • Expanded understanding of the field and identified current research gaps.
    • Gained insights into the PhD student experience and strategies for success.

Research output

  • We have published a workshop paper at the Robotics: Science and Systems (RSS) conference, 2nd Workshop on Dexterous Manipulation.
  • We are currently working on simulations for the actuator and aims to release the final paper at the coming January