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MEAM Seminar: “Agile Maneuver with Under-Actuated Millirobots”

March 22, 2022 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Decimeter-scale robots can use a wide range of techniques to maneuver in challenging environments in spite of lacking the actuated degrees of freedom typically seen in larger robots. Agile maneuver for these small robots greatly benefits from a high power-to-weight ratio and mechanical design which can exploit environment interactions, in addition to explicit control strategies. We have found that many aspects of agile behavior can arise from intrinsic mechanics, which is particularly useful for under-actuated systems. For these systems, appendages such as claws and tails greatly improve maneuverability. In addition, cooperative behavior can be used to increase degrees-of-freedom and agility. The smart composite microstructures (SCM) folding fabrication process, which combines distinct layers for structure and joints, has led to high power-to-weight and robust millirobots. In the future, folding fabrication could be incorporated in robot systems to enable in-situ customization or repair.

Ronald S. Fearing

John William MacKay, Jr. Electrical Engineering Professor Emeritus, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, Univiversity of California at Berkeley

Ronald Fearing is John William MacKay, Jr. Electrical Engineering Professor Emeritus in the Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at Univ. of California, Berkeley, which he joined in Jan. 1988. He was Vice-Chair for Undergraduate Matters from 2000-2006 and was Vice-Chair for EE Graduate Matters (2016-2021). His current research interests are in bioinspired milli-robotics, including mobile milli-robots, cooperative locomotion, actuation, rapid prototyping, and parallel nano-grasping (gecko adhesion). He has worked in tactile sensing, teletaction, and dextrous manipulation. He has a PhD from Stanford in EE (1988) and SB and SM in EECS from MIT (1983). He received the Presidential Young Investigator Award in 1991 and is the co-inventor on 20 US and international patents.

Details

Date:
March 22, 2022
Time:
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Event Category:
Event Tags:
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Venue

Zoom – Email MEAM for Link
peterlit@seas.upenn.edu

Organizer

Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
Phone
215-746-1818
Email
meam@seas.upenn.edu
View Organizer Website