Projects

This part of our lab develops new sensors, actuators, circuits and fabrication techniques for robots that are small.   There is a big emphasis here on small scale physics, materials science, and nano-fabrication.  Occasionally, we will also use a part developed for robots in a different application (think MEMs, but 10x smaller)

Most concepts from big robots fail to translate into the microworld.  To name a few differences, there is no inertia, propulsion is energy cheap, and everything is 'sticky'.  This part of the lab develops approaches to robotics (movement, control, planning) based on the physics of the microworld.  We also seek out novel applications including self-healing materials and robots that carry out nerve surgery. 

Microfabrication allows for swarms with literally millions of robotic agents.  With onboard electronics, these devices can sense, communicate and interact in new and exciting ways.  This part of the lab explores swarms with large numbers of robots.  We look for general rules that can apply both to robots as well as to biology.