Section: Research Program

Objective 5: Validation and application demonstrations

The implementation of experimental validation is a key challenge for the project. On one side, we need to validate the model and control algorithms using concrete test case example in order to improve the modelling and to demonstrate the concrete feasibility of our methods. On the other side, concrete applications will also feed the reflexions on the objectives of the scientific program.

We will build our own experimental soft robots for the validation of objectives 2 and 3 when there is no existing “turn-key” solution. Designing and making our own soft robots, even if only for validation, will help the setting-up of adequate models.

For the validation of objective 4, we will develop “anatomical soft robot”: soft robot with the shape of organs, equipped with sensors (to measure the contact forces) and actuators (to be able to stiffen the walls and recreate natural motion of soft-tissues). We will progressively increase the level of realism of this novel validation set-up to come closer to the anatomical properties.