Prof. Nick Gravish (UCSD): Adaptive robots through reconfiguration, compliance, and contact

Location: Gates B01
Attendance Link: https://tinyurl.com/robotsem-fall-25

Time: Friday Oct 17rd, 3:00-4:00PM

Abstract:  Recent advances in robot materials and algorithms have enabled new levels of adaptive and versatile behavior. In this talk I will describe my lab’s efforts to create robots capable of emergent adaptive behaviors. I will first describe how soft materials can enable reconfigurable robot appendages and bodies, culminating in new modes of robot manipulation and locomotion. Next, I will describe how autonomous oscillators drive adaptive flapping wing robots and have shed new light on the evolution of insect flight. Lastly, I will describe how mechanical contact can be leveraged for multi-robot control such as friction modulation or multi-robot synchronization. The overarching focus of this work is to identify opportunities for adaptive behavior in robots from engineered emergent phenomena.

Bio: Nick Gravish is an associate professor in the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering department and a faculty member in the Contextual Robotics Institute. Dr. Gravish received his PhD from Georgia Tech in 2013, and was postdoctoral fellow at Harvard from 2013-2016 supported by a James S. McDonnell fellowship in complex systems science. His research focuses on bio-inspiration, biomechanics, and robotics, towards the development of new locomotion systems. 

Please visit https://stanfordasl.github.io/robotics_seminar/ for this quarter’s lineup of speakers. Although we encourage live in-person attendance, recordings of talks will be posted also.

Covid-19 related instructions: We recommend wearing a well-fitted, high-quality face covering inside the classroom.

If you’re interested, you’re welcome to join Nick  for lunch at Blend Cafe at 12 PM. Please let Yifan (yifanhou@stanford.edu) know if you plan to join.