Fall 2025 meeting times will be on Mondays from 10:30-11:30am in the Leidos Lab. An additional hour will be scheduled once we have new team members class schedules.
Soft robots—e.g., robots composed of compliant materials and actuated by fluidic (hydraulic and/or pneumatic)—have emerged as powerful alternatives for applications that would be difficult or impossible to realize using traditional, rigid robots. Despite a number of inherent benefits for soft robots, particularly in terms of safety for human-robot interactions, challenges associated with controlling the underlying fluidics of such systems represent key barriers to utility. Recently, Sochol's "Bioinspired Advanced Manufacturing (BAM)" Laboratory introduced a strategy for 3D printing soft robots comprising fully integrated fluidic circuitry in a single print run and demonstrated a soft robotic "hand" capable of beating the first level of Super Mario Bros (youtu.be/5smhhTKb3DM). Unfortunately, this particular approach relied on an expensive (>$100,000) 3D printer. The goal of this project is to extend this strategy to inexpensive (e.g., <$500) 3D printers to support accessibility and, ultimately, demonstrate its efficacy by engineering soft robots capable of playing video games.
3D printing, CAD, circuits, fluid dynamics
- College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
- School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
- College of Arts & Humanities
- College of Behavioral & Social Sciences
- The Robert H. Smith School of Business
- College of Computer, Mathematical, & Natural Sciences
- College of Education
- College of Information Studies
- The Philip Merrill College of Journalism
- School of Public Health
- School of Public Policy
Preferred Interests & Preparation
Prior experience with CAD (namely, SolidWorks), 3D printing, and/or circuitry is helpful, but not required.
Spring 2025 Meeting Schedule & Location
Mondays 10:30 - 11:30 AM
Leidos Lab
*Team members will be expected to attend a weekly lab time. Date, time, and location for lab meetings will be determined during the first class session*
Ryan Sochol (he/him)
rsochol@umd.edu
Mechanical Engineering