Sedimentation of active matter is found in many natural and industrial processes. It plays an important role on the distribution of plankton in oceans, which is key part of the carbon cycle (i.e. ocean's biological pump) that transports carbon from the ocean's surface to depth. In this seminar, I will present an investigation on the […]
Modular robots offer the promise of flexibility; we will be able to deploy teams of generalist modules and reconfigure them into various specialists to perform whatever task is necessary. Surface swimming aquatic modular robots in particular are not well studied, however, because the literature assumes that the modules need to be holonomic, which makes them […]
This dissertation discusses my work in building an HRI platform called Quori and my once separate now integrated work on a manipulation method that can enable robots like Quori, or any more capable robot, to move large circular cylindrical objects. Quori is a novel, affordable, socially interactive humanoid robot platform for facilitating noncontact human-robot interaction […]
Variable Topology Trusses (VTTs) are a new type of modular, self-reconfigurable robot (MSRR). Like other self-reconfigurable robot systems, a VTT can change its shape to adapt to a variety of tasks, offering a wider range of capabilities than a single robot configuration. While most MSRRs consist of robot modules that are connected in a chain […]
Surface force-mediated adhesion, i.e. via van der Waals forces, is critical for the direct bonding of bulk solids in the absence of an adhesive layer. However, no two surfaces are perfectly flat nor conformal and some have intentional patterns, which leads to imperfect adhesion, i.e. interface adhesion strength that is below its ideal strength. In […]
Molecular dynamics simulations allow for the visualization and analysis of atoms and molecules. The choice of boundary conditions in these simulations can impact the overall system, and is an important design decision. In particular, open boundary molecular dynamics simulations is one type of methodology that allows for the treatment of atomistic models with non equilibrium […]
Non-equilibrium phenomena are ubiquitous across material systems and of great technological relevance. Examples of such phenomena include diffusion processes in liquid and gases, viscoelasticity and plasticity in solids, and rheological behavior of colloidal and granular media. Despite their ubiquity and importance, the understanding of non-equilibrium phenomena remains in its infancy compared with classical equilibrium thermodynamics […]
With the advent of more capable and cheaper legged robots, robotic legged locomotion is becoming an increasingly attractive solution for locomotion and embodiment. Legs offer expanded capability over wheeled robots, albeit at the cost of complexity and efficiency. For example, walking robots explore rubble-filled caves, inspect industrial sites, move around human spaces (e.g., stairs), and […]
Unlike diseases with strong genetic predisposition, such as cancer, there exist no accurate personalized diagnostic tools for disorders such as Hypertensive Pregnancy Disorders (HPD) and its mechanism remain understudied. For the purpose of performing diagnostics, we require disease indicators (biomarkers) that are strongly correlated with the underlying condition, i.e. absolute vascular pressure for hypertension. Measuring […]
Materials with electroprogrammable stiffness and adhesion can enhance the performance of robotic systems but achieving large changes in stiffness and adhesive forces in real time is an ongoing challenge. Electroadhesive clutches can rapidly adhere high stiffness elements, although their low force capacities, high activation voltages, and inability to separate and turn off stiffness changes reliably […]
