CNS Core: Small: Harnessing Wireless Actuation

该项目将深入探索一种新的无线系统--积极使用无线信号来加热感兴趣物体的系统。虽然已经有很多关于使用无线信号来感知环境的工作，但关于无线信号影响环境的能力--即无线激励--的探索相对较少。也许最常见的无线驱动设备是微波炉，它使用无线电波加热食物，但缺乏根据预先指定的加热模式精确地、程序化地烹饪食物的能力。通过这个项目，我们的目标是开发一种机制，有效地控制无线信号，以更精细的粒度加热感兴趣的对象。除了烹饪，这项拟议的工作还着眼于软机器人制造和控制的应用。这项拟议的工作有一个详细的综合教育和外联计划，包括为来自大匹兹堡代表性不足社区的K-12学生制定课程和举办暑期研讨会。拟议的工作将产生下列智力贡献：(1)设计探测和修改室内无线信号的微波安全设备；(2)开发算法和系统设计，在有和没有物理运动的情况下，根据三维空间中的所需图案对感兴趣的物体进行主动加热；(3)端到端实施系统，评估各种任务的性能，包括烹饪、以编程方式为3-D制造加热和设计基于热的软机器人系统。这项拟议的工作将更广泛地影响包括无线系统、机器人、制造和人机接口在内的多个学科。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The project will perform a deep exploration of a new category of wireless systems -- systems that actively use wireless signals to heat objects of interest. While there has been much work on using wireless signals to sense the environment, the ability of wireless signals to influence the environment -- i.e., wireless actuation -- has been relatively less explored. Perhaps the most common wireless actuation equipment is the microwave oven, which heats food using radio waves, yet lacks the ability to precisely and programmatically cook food according to pre-specified patterns of heating. Through this project, we aim to develop a mechanism to effectively control wireless signals to heat objects-of-interest at a significantly finer granularity. Beyond cooking, the proposed work targets applications in manufacturing and control of soft robots. The proposed work has a detailed integrated education and outreach program including curriculum development and summer workshops for K-12 students from underrepresented communities in Greater Pittsburgh. The proposed work will lead to the following intellectual contributions: (1) The design of microwave-safe equipment to sense and modify wireless signals within a chamber; (2) The development of algorithms and system design that actively heat the object-of-interest according to the desired pattern in 3-D space both with and without physical movement; (3) An end-to-end implementation of the system and evaluation of performance for diverse tasks, including cooking, programmatically applying heat for 3-D fabrication and design of heat-based soft robotic systems. The proposed work will more broadly impact multiple disciplines including wireless systems, robotics, manufacturing, and human-computer interfaces.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.