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Haptic Intelligence Embodied in Artificial Soft Systems
The compliance of tissues is arguably what gives its versatility to human and robotic touch. Not only does compliance facilitate manipulation, conform to various shapes, and provide mechanical robustness, but, from a perceptual perspective, it also enriches contact interactions, mediates wave propagation, and diffuses strain to our mechanoreceptors. These qualities are central to designing the next generation of soft robotic grippers, tactile sensors, and wearables made from skin-mimicking elastomers.
The development of these elastomers aligns with recent advances in manufacturing technologies, such as multi-material silicone 3D printing, soft lithography, and composites doped with nanoparticles. Designing sensing and actuating units that effectively extract or stimulate relevant tactile cues remains a challenge. Converting mechanical events into programmable signals often relies on visual surrogates or soft electronics, and improvements in density and sensitivity are necessary. In addition, the frictional properties of soft matter are often overlooked, despite their prominent role in robotic manipulation and tactile transduction. Understanding the adhesive nature of elastomeric contacts requires delving into the intersection of organic chemistry and physics. Exploring factors ranging from molecular composition to micro-patterning holds potential to enable tailored friction laws or enhance grasp abilities. Moreover, soft systems made from continuously deformable elements face unique modeling challenges, calling for numerical methods, including machine learning approaches. They are essential to implement novel control strategies that fully harness the potential of soft transducers.
This workshop will bring together a panel of experts at the forefront of material science, tribology, robotics, and numerical simulation. We will showcase the recent advances made towards the development of the next generation of soft systems with embodied haptic intelligence.