Postdoc Soft Functional Interfaces

Functieomschrijving

We seek a highly motivated postdoctoral candidate for a multidisciplinary project within the 4TU Soft Robotics research program. This initiative is a large collaborative program together with partners from all four Technical Universities in the Netherlands. The 4TU Soft Robotics program aims to develop an integrated design approach for soft robotic hardware, control and actuation. The project will be embedded in the Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter group at Wageningen University.

Your project will focus on developing flexible robotic skins that can be used in robotics contexts where soft skins are important, ranging from patient interactions to fruit picking. In particular, we aim to study the fundamental principles of soft contact mechanics to both develop the capacity for measuring (sensing) and applying local forces (grip). You will aim to further develop basic understanding of, and integrate novel sensing and actuation concepts to effectively control the 3D conformability and bond/grip strength of a generic robotic skin: a "soft functional interface". Your project will run parallel to existing efforts on understanding adhesion/friction mechanisms, in which we focus on tuning interface dynamics with novel chemistry and through custom patterned interfaces, e.g. via the use of 3D printing.

Your efforts will be in collaboration with postdoctoral researchers and staff scientists at the local Experimental Zoology group and the vision-based control experts from the Farm Technology group. Bio-inspiration (think of cuttlefish grippers) and visual control elements are therefore natural components of this project, although it is not limited to these. We seek active collaborations with external partners as well, including the University of Amsterdam and ARCNL, also to widen the application area of soft robotics.

Functie-eisen