Robotics Seminar: We are excited to host our own Girish Krishnan in person in CSL Studio Room 1232 for this week's Robotics Seminar! Join us this Friday, February 7, at 1 pm CT to learn about soft robots!
Title: Will Soft Robots Survive the Axe?
Abstract: We are witnessing a fascinating era in the evolution of autonomous robots. The integration of camera vision, AI-based perception, and advanced actuation and sensing technologies with off-the-shelf traditional robotic manipulators featuring multiple rigid degrees of freedom is nearing human-like precision. However, this precision, accuracy, and robustness are often compromised when the robot's structure deviates from such traditional designs. Interestingly, around 90% of natural organisms are invertebrates, lacking a rigid backbone and exhibiting fluid, non-segmented morphologies. Creatures like snakes, octopus tentacles, and elephant trunks skillfully manipulate delicate objects without causing damage while still striking prey with remarkable precision. This raises a critical question: what fundamental advances in material structure design, actuation, sensing and perception, and controls are necessary to replicate these capabilities in bio-inspired robotic systems? This talk will showcase recent advancements in these areas for soft continuum manipulators, highlighting their potential applications in agriculture and healthcare. But are these advances sufficient to survive the axe, or will soft robots become obsolete before reaching the plateau of productivity?
Bio: Girish Krishnan is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is also a Health Innovation Professor at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. He obtained his PhD from University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and masters from the Indian Institute of Science. His research is in the intersection of design and robotics, and particularly in soft robotics with applications in agriculture and healthcare. Prof. Krishnan is the recipient of the 2015 NSF Early Career award (CAREER), 2016 UIUC council award for excellence in advising and 2017 Freudestein Young Investigator award (ASME). He has published around 40 peer-reviewed journals, 50 conference proceedings, and holds four patents.
Location: We will meet in CSL Studio room 1232. You can also join us virtually on Zoom:
https://illinois.zoom.us/j/84149708803?pwd=R3JqMnk3VU0wWUZRbGtMd3o1YjZwdz09&from=addon
Meeting ID: 841 4970 8803
Password: 444347
Looking forward to seeing you on Friday!
