ROBOTICS SEMINAR

Speaker: Cameron Aubin

Title: Towards enduring autonomous robots via embodied energy

Day: Thursday, April 7, 2022

Time: 10:45-11:45am

Location: Friend Center Convocation Room (FC113)

Host: Glaucio Paulino

Abstract:

Modern robots lack the combination of endurance and adaptability that we see in living organisms. One explanation for this phenomenon is that robots are typically composed of individual power, actuation, sensory, and control blocks, each existing as separate materials and optimized for different tasks. Conversely, biological systems are highly interconnected, hierarchical, and capable of self-assembly, thereby enabling increased complexity and multifunctionality. Many robots also house energy in a single storage unit, often a battery, while more advanced organisms distribute energy throughout their entire bodies.

In this talk, I will discuss my work developing robots with multifunctional embodied energy systems that increase their performance and endurance. My discussion will focus on the creation of an untethered soft robotic fish containing a “synthetic vascular system” inspired by redox flow batteries. This system combines the functions of mechanical actuation with hydraulic force transfer and electrolyte-based energy storage, increasing the energy density of the robot by over 300%. Next, I will discuss how energy-dense chemical fuels can be used to create powerful (Pstroke > 50W, Pspec = 147W/g) soft microactuators. We have leveraged microscale combustion and localized flame quenching to develop two demonstrations: a soft haptic display that operates at high frequencies (ƒ > 1kHz) without electromechanical valves and a quadrupedal microrobot capable of multigait/directional movement. Using energy-dense fuels at this scale can increase operating time, power density, and ultimately untether microrobotic systems.

Bio:

Cameron is a PhD candidate in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University. He is a member of the Organic Robotics Laboratory and is advised by Dr. Robert Shepherd. Cameron’s work centers on improving the endurance, adaptability, and autonomy of robots by embodying them with multifunctional, biologically-inspired energy systems. His interests also include soft robotics, advanced manufacturing, and microrobotics. Cameron earned a B.S.E in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University in 2014 and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 2019. His is a recipient of the Harriet Davis Fellowship and his research has been featured in several popular media outlets, including CNN, PBS, BBC, Wired, and more.