EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF: Extending the Safety of Soft Robotics: Towards Millimeter to Centimeter-Scale Eco-biocompatible Soft Robots with Multimodal Operations

This Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) EPSCoR Research Fellows project provides a fellowship to an Assistant Professor and training for a graduate student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This work is conducted in collaboration with researchers at Mayo Clinic. Through the fellowship, the PI will develop a class of miniature, eco-biocompatible soft robots with multimodal deformation and locomotion capabilities, achieving both safety and practicality beyond soft interactions. By exploring and establishing a comprehensive framework for design, material selection, fabrication, modeling, and control, this project will drive the practical development of miniature robots for safe use in hard-to-reach yet commonly encountered environments across healthcare, industry, and natural settings. This project will support the growth of STEM workforces specializing in robotics, automation, materials, and biomedical engineering. It will also promote sustainable robotics to protect Hawaii's economic and ecological values and inspire other islands, lakeside, and coastal communities. This project will develop a design methodology for miniature soft robots that enable multimodal operations while maintaining eco-biocompatibility. It will use environmentally and biologically compatible materials to create heterogeneous responses in miniature robots, overcoming the limitations of robots with multimodal capabilities that lack eco-biocompatibility, and those based on eco-biocompatible materials that lack operational versatility. In collaboration with Mayo Clinic, the project will systematically assess, optimize, and establish fabrication strategies for robots’ operation safety. With the design methodology significantly enhancing practicality and safety, miniature robots can be broadly integrated into existing robotic ecosystems to address access and functionality challenges in hard-to-reach environments. This project will enhance the University of Hawaii's research infrastructure by expanding the PI’s expertise and fostering growth in robotics, materials, and biomedical engineering programs. The research will also integrate with curriculum development, multi-level project expansion, and outreach activities involving partner organizations, amplifying the project’s regional and national impacts. This project is supported by the EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Research Fellows, which supports early- and mid-career investigators in eligible jurisdictions to develop collaborations at the nation’s private, government or academic research institutions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2531477 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Tianlu Wang | Institution: University of Hawaii, HONOLULU, HI | Award Amount: $299,997 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2531477 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2531477.html