Our research focuses on autonomous robotic systems that utilize natural mechanical features as a part of their intelligence. The goal of our research is to address the fundamental challenges of robots: modeling, sensing, control, and planning. Our research targets emerging technologies in human-robot interaction including home care and search and rescue.
News:
- 2024-02 The paper “Modeling and Experimental Verification of a Continuous Curvature-based Soft Growing Manipulator” gets accepted at IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.
- 2024-02 We received a grant from the WSU Inspire! Community Engaged Research Seed Grant Program, as highlighted in WSU Insider (2024).
- 2023-12 Our HRC project was featured in “Exposure to soft robots decreases human fears about working with them” from WSU Insider (2023).
- 2023-11 The paper “Effects of Prior Robot Experience, Speed, and Proximity on Psychosocial Reactions to a Soft Growing Robot” gets accepted at IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors.
- 2023-11 Our CPS project was featured in “Grant aims for smarter harvesting” from WSU Insider (2023).
- 2023-10 MAIRers (Justin Allen, Ryan Dorosh, Christopher Ninatanta, and Zoe Fichtel) presented their work at IROS 2023!
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2023-09 The paper “Design, Modeling, and Control of a Low-Cost and Rapid Response Soft-Growing Manipulator for Orchard Operations” gets accepted at IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2023.
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2023-09 We received a new grant from National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund our research on studying agricultural cybernetic systems.
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2023-03 Congratulations to MAIRers who presented their work at WSU SURCA 2023! Presenters include Justin Pilgrim, Christopher Heintz, and Zoe Fichtel.
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2023-02 We are expanding! new MIAR Agricultural Robotics Lab is now located at the Engineering Teaching Research Laboratory (ETRL) 110.
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2023-01 The paper “A protein aerogel with distinctive filtration capabilities for formaldehyde and particulate pollutants” published in the Separation and Purification Technology.
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2022-12 We received a new grant from Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC) for our research studying apple harvesting robot (Phase2).
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2022-08 The paper “Design, Analysis, and Real-Time Simulation of a 3D Soft Robotic Snake” published in the soft robotics.
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2022-06 The paper “Tailoring bimodal protein fabrics for enhanced air filtration performance” published in the Separation and Purification Technology.
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2022-06 We received a new grant from National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) for our research studying apple flower thinning robot.
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2022-03 We received a new grant from Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC) for our research studying apple harvesting robot.
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2021-12 Our soft robot project was featured in “Researchers receive $125,000 from Cougar Cage program” from WSU Insider (2021).
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2021-12 The paper “Soft Mobile Robots: a Review of Soft Robotic Locomotion Mode” published in the Current Robotics Reports (Invited paper).
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2021-11 The paper “Interface-tailored Forces Fluffing Protein Fiber Membranes for High-performance Filtration” published in the Separation and Purification Technology.
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2020-08 The Paper “AFREEs: Active Fiber Reinforced Elastomeric Enclosures” published in the processings of the 2020 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, was nominated for the Best Paper Award.
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2020-03 The Paper “Human Interface for Teleoperated Object Manipulation with a Soft Growing Robot” published in the processings of the 2020 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, was nominated for the Best Paper Award in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI).