CAREER: Transformable and Reconfigurable Soft Robots

该学院早期职业发展（Career）奖将引入一种新颖的系统方法，将简单的软机器人模块结合到复杂的网络物理系统中，能够执行复杂的操作和运动任务。软机器人已经展示了模仿生物有机体的多种多功能的潜力，从而创造了适应性强、多用途和对人类友好的下一代机器人。然而，要使这种发展超越研究实验室，还需要做很多工作。在传统机器人的根本性转变中，该项目将探索简单即插即用模块的设计和建模，以实现复杂和可重构的紧急功能。在其他社会影响中，该项目的成果将有助于开发用于工厂自动化的协作机器人、可穿戴康复系统以及搜索救援和侦察机器人。该项目还将支持一项广泛的教育计划，包括本科机器人课程开发、本科研究实习、国际学生交流计划，以及一项外展计划，包括为芝加哥当地高中生举办讲习班和暑期学院。该项目的目标是开发一种系统的方法，用于将典型变刚度软机器人单元优化配置到复杂的网络物理系统中。为了实现这一目标，研究将从两个方面着手。第一个重点是制定一种新颖的非线性生物设计理念，利用“数量的力量”和“组装”的艺术。这种方法的核心特点是利用一组简单的软机器人模块或具有不同操作复杂性和机械性能的设计。第二个推力侧重于寻找如何优化配置这些模块，以解决具有挑战性的操作和运动任务。该策略基于学习和进化计算技术以及围绕最小化设计复杂性和减少给定任务控制挑战目标的迭代组装。除了研究，第三个重点是将研究与高中、大学和大学后的教育相结合。他们的努力包括将机器人技术纳入德保罗大学计算机学院工程专业的本科课程。此外，还将举办外展活动，通过研讨会和年度暑期学院，提高芝加哥公立学校系统高中生对机器人的认识。该项目由跨部门机器人基础研究项目支持，由工程（ENG）和计算机与信息科学与工程（CISE）联合管理和资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award will introduce a novel systematic approach to combining simple soft robotic modules into sophisticated cyber-physical systems, capable of performing complex manipulation and locomotion tasks. Soft robotics has demonstrated the potential for mimicking the diverse multifunctionality of biological organisms, thereby creating the next generation of adaptable, versatile, and human-friendly robots. However, much work needs to be done to enable this development beyond research laboratories. In a fundamental shift from traditional robotics, this project will explore the design and modeling of simple plug-n-play modules to achieve complex and reconfigurable emergent functionalities. Among other societal impacts, the outcomes of this project would aid in the development of co-robots for factory automation, wearable rehabilitation systems, and search & rescue and reconnaissance robots. The project will also support an extensive education plan that includes undergraduate robotic curriculum development, undergraduate research internships, and international student exchange program, as well as an outreach plan that includes workshops and summer academy for local high school students in Chicago.The objective of this project is to develop a systematic methodology for the optimal configuration of canonical variable stiffness soft robotic units into sophisticated cyber-physical systems. To achieve this objective, the research will proceed with two thrusts. The first thrust focuses on formulating a novel nonlinear bioinspired design philosophy that harnesses the “strength in numbers” and the art of “assembly”. The central feature of this approach is the leveraging of a set of simple soft robotic modules or designs with varying operational complexity and mechanical properties. The second thrust focuses on finding how to optimally configure these modules to solve challenging manipulation and locomotion tasks. The strategy is based on learning and evolutionary computing techniques and iterative assembly around the goal of minimal design complexity and reduced control challenges for a given task. Along with research, a third thrust focuses on integrating research with education at the high school, college, and post-college levels. Endeavors include incorporating robotics into the curriculum at the undergrad level within the Engineering program in the School of Computing at DePaul University. Additionally, outreach activities will also take place to raise awareness of robotics in the Chicago Public School System high school students via workshops and annual summer academy.This project is supported by the cross-directorate Foundational Research in Robotics program, jointly managed and funded by the Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.