A mechanism, when encountering kinematic singularity configurations, can become ill-conditioned and challenging to control. In mechanism and robotic science, these configurations are traditionally either avoided or dealt with through the implementation of complex control strategies to mitigate their associated risks. This talk commences with a discussion on the utilization of elastic potential energy to circumvent kinematic singularity issues prevalent in motion transmission mechanisms. Subsequently, I will highlight new categories of flexible mechanisms which harness singularity to generate new modes of functionality analogous to those exhibited by classical gears.

From industry to households, we envision the proliferation of future intelligent systems composed of smart, active, and engineered matter that autonomously and safely adapts its shape and structure to meet task demands. To realize this vision, one must exploit the rich intersection of structures, materials, robotics, and intelligence—traditionally considered separate disciplines. In my work, I integrate these diverse fields by establishing design and manufacturing methods based on computational mechanics and design theory to create soft machines and mechanical metamaterials. In this talk, I will present the design of two intelligent systems — a bio-inspired amphibious robot and a deformable metamaterial. I will start by introducing 'adaptive morphogenesis,' a novel design paradigm for the amphibious robot combining stimulus-responsive soft materials and traditional robotic components. Then, I will present a two-step design strategy for deformable metamaterials with prescribed deformations. Finally, I will discuss my goal of uniting mechanical metamaterials with soft robotics to build context-sensitive robotic systems to disrupt manufacturing, autonomous environmental inspection, and medical and assistive devices.

The gravity compensation of robots and mechanisms has been an attractive research theme in recent decades. Gravity compensation aims to lessen the effect of gravity on the robot caused by the masses of its links and payload. A perfect gravity compensation can completely eliminate the gravitational torques at the robot joints, allowing the robot to maintain itself at any configuration with zero input torques from the actuators. While an approximate gravity compensation only decreases the gravitational torques, it is necessary to use a small effort to keep the robot stationary at a configuration. For low-speed robotic manipulation, gravity compensation becomes more beneficial for the robot because the gravitational torques contribute the most to its actuation torques. Along with reducing the actuation torques, the gravity compensation of robots can provide other benefits, such as reducing energy consumption, the sizes of the actuators, the structural compliance of the robot, and improving safety and dynamic response. This talk will cover recent advances in gravity compensation for robots and mechanisms, focusing on design concepts and their applications.

Merging the embodied intelligence of soft robots with artificial intelligence faces many conceptual questions, including the roles for each approach as part of a combined framework. However, current attempts at autonomy for soft robots have been focused mostly on positioning of soft bodies in space, illustrating limitations on real-time computation and knowledge of the robot’s environment. Are we asking the right questions, and working toward the most fruitful control goals? In this talk, I will introduce my work on control systems that do not prioritize perfect tracking of trajectories in the motion of soft robots, but instead show robustness, scalability, and verifiable safety. This includes embracing model mismatch and designing controllers that anticipate the simplifications commonly made in dynamics of soft robots. Real-time operation could be addressed by reconceiving control problems as planning problems. And most importantly, focusing on safety verification and invariance may lead to control systems that match our intuitive goals for bringing soft robots out into the world. These three perspectives will be demonstrated in both manipulation and locomotion of soft robots powered by shape memory alloy artificial muscles.