Mini-symposium S7

S7: Modeling of Intelligent Structures and Soft Robotics

Co-chairs: 

Weicheng Huang (Newcastle University)*; Mingchao Liu (University of Birmingham)

The field of computational mechanics is rapidly expanding its horizons with the growing interest in intelligent structures and soft robotics. These systems, characterized by their flexibility, adaptability, and often bio-inspired design, present new challenges and opportunities in modeling and simulation. Soft robotics, in particular, requires innovative approaches to model the complex interactions between compliant materials and their environments, while intelligent structures harness computational advances to achieve enhanced performance through adaptive responses to stimuli. Numerical and theoretical models play a critical role in understanding and predicting the behavior of these systems, enabling advancements in design, control, and implementation. This symposium will focus on the development of computational techniques, multi-scale modeling, and theoretical frameworks that underpin the behavior of intelligent structures and soft robotic systems. The goal is to explore how numerical simulations, advanced algorithms, and novel theoretical approaches can lead to more efficient, robust, and functional designs, suitable for real-world applications in diverse fields such as biomedical devices, space and marine exploration, as well as human-machine interaction.

This symposium seeks to gather researchers and practitioners from the fields of computational mechanics, robotics, materials science, and applied physics to discuss the latest developments, share insights, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

● Multi-scale and multi-physics modeling of intelligent structures and soft robotics;

● Computational design and optimization of intelligent structures and soft robotics;

● Nonlinear dynamics and control of intelligent structures and soft robotics;

● AI and data-driven methods in intelligent structures and soft robotics modeling;

● Material modeling and simulation for adaptive, programmable materials;

● Numerical methods for deformable and bio-inspired structures.