Recent advances in biomimicry, material science, design methodology, and control theory have enabled the development of genuinely soft robots that collaborate effectively with humans in unstructured and dynamic environments. These robots are constructed from soft materials with low elastic modulus and high strain tolerance, making them safer and more versatile than traditional rigid robots for applications including minimally invasive surgery, search and rescue, rehabilitation, and manufacturing.
This course aims to introduce this rapidly emerging field, survey the different techniques for soft robot design, fabrication, and control, and challenge the students to fabricate their soft robots to achieve manipulation or locomotion tasks.
In Fall 2025, the student teams are challenged to prototype a soft robot to cross a 45"x19"x15" water tank. Here, "crossing" is a broad concept: The robot can swim, crawl, or jump, but it must touch the water and rely on the deformation of its soft body.
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The soft robots from every team will enter a Soft Robot Race at the end of the semester. The race outcome is counted as the final exam score!
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Draft Syllabus_Soft Robots_Fall 25.pdf
How Can Soft Robots Be Useful?
How to Manipulate with Soft Bodies?
Tendon Actuation: Implementation