Section: Research Program

Objective 1: Accurate model of soft robot deformation computed in finite time

The objective is to find concrete numerical solutions to the challenge of modelling soft robots with strong real-time constraints. To solve continuum mechanics equations, we will start our research with real-time FEM or equivalent methods that were developed for soft-tissue simulation. We will extend the functionalities to account for the needs of a soft-robotic system:

• Coupling with other physical phenomenons that govern the activity of sensors and actuators (hydraulic, pneumatic, electro-active polymers, shape-memory alloys...).

• Fulfill the new computational time constraints (harder than surgical simulation for training) and find better tradeoff between cost and precision of numerical solvers using reduced-order modelling techniques with error control.

• Exploring interactive and semi-automatic optimisation methods for design based on obtained solution for fast computation on soft robot models.