Robosoft 2019 Workshop on “Toward the nature of information processing in soft machines”

Overview

Robosoft2019 Workshop on “Toward the nature of information processing in soft machines: bridging flexible electronics and morphological computation.”
Full-Dayworkshop.

Organizers

• Kohei Nakajima (The University of Tokyo, k_nakajima@mech.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp, https://www.kohei-nakajima.com)
• Fumiya Iida (University of Cambridge)
• Koichi Suzumori (Tokyo Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Animals adapt to their changing environments with their soft bodies.Their ability to exploit their flexible bodies and their outsourcing of the functionality of the control to their deformable morphologies are referred to as “morphological computation.”Conventional robotic systems are mechanically static, and they are unable to change their bodies to levels that are satisfactory for flexibility to achieve the adaptability and intelligence that is comparable to animals. In response to this situation, soft technologies are currently being studied simultaneously in different fields and many notable attempts have been reported worldwide. For example, various flexible sensors that do not damage the natural dynamics of the soft body have been reported. In addition, the body morphology can be designed using a novel three-dimensional printing technique, which works with soft materials.By integrating these soft technologies with morphological computation, we expect that the science of soft robots will further prove its potential to generate novel application domains.This workshop will focus on the recent advancement in material sciences, flexible electronics, and morphological computation, and provides an opportunity for active discussion about the state of the art technologies to take place, as well as for the sharing of common views about future challenges.

List of speakers

• Koichi Suzumori (Tokyo Institute of Technology)
  “MEXT KAKENHI Project on Soft Robots in Japan”
• Kenjiro Fukuda (RIKEN)
  “Ultra lightweight organic solar cells as power solution for soft robotics”
• Hyunsoo Yang (National University of Singapore)
  “Flexible spintronic devices: sensor, memory and THz component”
• Kuniharu Takei (Osaka Prefecture University)
  “Flexible sensors for healthcare applications and soft robotics”
• Jian Zhu (National University of Singapore)
  “Bio-inspired Soft Robots based on Various Soft Actuators”
• Ryuma Niiyama (University of Tokyo)
  “Bio-inspired Musculoskeletal Robots”
• Thrish Nanayakkara (Imperial College London)
  “Conditioning the body to reduce the entropy of random variables”
• Francesco Giorgio-Serchi (University of Edinburgh)
  “The power of flexibility: exploiting deformability and stiffness control for aggressive underwater propulsion”
• Fumiya Iida (University of Cambridge)
  “Adaptation of sensor morphology as morphological computation”

Schedule

Time Speaker(s) and Discussion Session
9:00 – 9:30 Koichi Suzumori (Tokyo Institute of Technology)
9:30 –10:00 Kenjiro Fukuda (RIKEN)
10:00 –10:30 Hyunsoo Yang (National University of Singapore)
10:30 –11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 –11:30 Kuniharu Takei (Osaka Prefecture University)
11:30 –12:00 Jian Zhu (National University of Singapore)
12:00 –13:00 Lunch Break
13:00 –14:00 Poster Session I
14:00 –14:30 Ryuma Niiyama (University of Tokyo)
14:30 –15:00 Thrish Nanayakkara (Imperial College London)
15:00 –15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 –16:00 Francesco Giorgio-Serchi (University of Edinburgh)
16:00 –16:30 Fumiya Iida (University of Cambridge)
16:30 –17:30 Poster Session II
17:30 – Open Discussion for future collaborations and open-ended social event

Pamphlet

Click here (PDF).