Alex 

Dr. Gebre’s Lab at Stevens Institute of Technology develops innovations in robotics, specifically in fields such as rehabilitation, prosthetics, ground robots, and soft robotics. Through collaboration, the lab is able to produce numerous design solutions that help solve real-world problems. To support this work, the lab uses additive manufacturing to rapidly prototype complex parts. Additionally, each project requires extensive planning, physics, designing, and testing to become a reality. Currently, lab researchers are creating an omnidirectional movement system to help augment current industrial material and interface transport systems. This work centers on a magnetically coupled ball drive (MCBD), which uses magnets to enhance the performance of traditional ball drive systems. To build the prototype, the engineers first created the concept design; then, they used physics to analyze the feasibility of the system. Next, they calculated optimal strength and placement for the magnets using a machine learning algorithm, built the prototype, and tested it using a force stand. As a result, they found that increasing the strength of the magnets made the robot more capable than robots that used traditional support structures. This improvement means that the ball drive can be implemented more efficiently in environments that require precise, fast movement, as well as the capacity to carry heavy loads.  Beyond the MCBD, the lab has created many other innovations that fill gaps in robotics research. My work this summer will involve researching different iterations of the MCBD to optimize the magnetic coupling strength and stability.