Soft robotics is an exciting and fast-growing field at the intersection of mechanical design, materials science, electronics, and control systems. The MINIMAX Lab is launching a new subgroup focused on the development of Novel Actuators for Robotics and Gastrointestinal Phantoms. Our work centers on advanced soft actuators such as Dielectric Elastomer Actuators (DEAs) and Hydraulically Amplified Self-healing Electrostatic (HASEL) actuators. These next-generation, muscle-like devices can bend, stretch, and contract with lifelike motions, enabling breakthroughs in biomedical devices, realistic gastrointestinal phantom models, and medical robotics for minimally invasive interventions. The key topics include two aspects: (1) phantoms mimicking GI tract motion for capsule robot testing and (2) soft robotic end-effectors for adaptive manipulation and safe interaction.
Beyond healthcare, DEAs and HASELs are being explored for soft wearable technologies, adaptive space systems, energy harvesting, and dexterous robotic manipulation. Students joining this project will gain hands-on experience in actuator design, materials processing, electronics, and system integration. You’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary team, learn how to bridge materials and mechatronics, and contribute to shaping the future of soft machines. This is a unique opportunity for undergraduates interested in robotics, biomedical engineering, or emerging actuator technologies to dive into cutting-edge research with wide-ranging impact.
Requirement: Junior or senior major in mechanical engineering or electrical and computer engineering (highly motivated Sophomore students with relevant experiences also possible)
Undergraduate Research Assistants working on this project are expected to be interested in robotics/mechatronics, smart materials, biomedical devices, system modeling, control algorithms, embedded system programing, transducer development. Experience with Solidworks, LabVIEW, MATLAB/Python, and FEA software (COMSOL/ANSYS/ABAQUS) is a plus. In person work is required for access to the hardware. Students are expected to be motivated, work independently with guidance and make contribution to the team.
Students are expected to work closely with graduate students leading the project for 5 - 10 hours per week during the Fall semester for pay or for credit with opportunities to continue in the future. Given the longer-term nature of the project, preference will be given to students who can commit to multiple terms.
This position will involve circuit design for capsule robots, development of magnetic actuation testbed, programming of a Kuka robot. Specific duties may include but are not limited to the following:
1) Design, model, and simulate actuator concepts
2) Prototype and test soft actuators
3) Control algorithm simulation and implementation
4) Collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data
5) Support documentation, reporting, and literature review
6) Collaborate with graduate researchers
