Cutting the cord: novel actuation for untethered soft robotic systems

Soft robotics has emerged as an important new paradigm where compliance is exploited to create novel classes of robotic system that safely and intelligently interact with humans and complex, unpredictable environments. However, the lack of compliant, embedded actuators that reliably replicate the functionality of muscles in the animal body has become a technological bottleneck. This has limited how effectively soft robots can be applied outside of laboratory conditions in applications that either require a higher power density (W/kg) or autonomy from tethered, hard supply systems.

In this PhD, innovative artificial muscle actuators will be developed for application to autonomous and untethered soft robotic systems. By removing the need for bulky motors, pumps and valves, these novel actuation systems will lead to advanced assistive and wearable robotic technologies. It is anticipated that the PhD research will investigate electro-active polymers as well as fluidic elastomer actuators. The PhD will be supported by cutting edge soft robotics fabrication and testing facilities within the Bristol Robotics Laboratory.

The successful candidate will be based within the Softlab (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/engineering/research/softlab/), which is one of the internationally leading research groups in Soft Robotics. We are also part of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL, www.brl.ac.uk), which is the largest centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research in the UK.