Biomemetic Robots:
Applying Biological Principles to the
Design and Operation of Legged Robots

Dr. Mark Cutkosky
Professor
Center for Design Research
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Stanford University

 

ABSTRACT: Although cockroaches and other insects are primitive in comparison to mammals, they can negotiate difficult terrain with remarkable agility. Biological research has uncovered principles responsible for their success and engineers have applied these principles to small, legged robots that demonstrate similar speed, stability and simplicity of control. These biomimetic robots are fabricated using a rapid prototyping process, shape deposition manufacturing (SDM), that allows hard and soft materials to be combined in a single structure that can be tuned for dynamic performance and physical robustness. Sensors and actuators can also be integrated directly into SDM structures. Recent work has focused on the application of SDM to climbing robots that employ arrays of spines and hairs for climbing vertical surfaces. Dr. Cutkosky will discuss the design, fabrication and control of biomimetic robots and ongoing work to increase their versatility.

BIO: Mark R. Cutkosky is a professor at the Center for Design Research in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University. He formerly was a lecturer and research assistant at the Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute and a design engineer at ALCOA. Dr. Cutkosky is the principal investigator of projects on Biomimetic Robotics and Dexterous Manipulation with Tactile Sensing. He has numerous publications in these and related areas and is a former Fulbright Chair and NSF Presidential Young Investigator.

Web site: http://bdml.stanford.edu

Photos:
* http://www-cdr.stanford.edu/~cutkosky/
* http://me.stanford.edu/faculty/facultydir/cutkosky.html

 

Thursday, January 26, 2006
337 Towne Bldg.
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.