SPP 2100:  Soft Material Robotic Systems

• Subject Area: Computer Science, Systems and Electrical Engineering ; Construction Engineering and Architecture ; Biology ; Chemistry ; Humanities ; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering ; Materials Science and Engineering ; Medicine ; Physics ; Thermal Engineering/Process Engineering
• Term: since 2019
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 359715917

The second funding period aims for contributions and applications in which the knowledge generated from the first funding period can define systems and methods with a notable impact on soft robotics and beyond. The benefit of soft robotic systems will be defined through collaborative projects, where the integration of different areas can address a specific application or method. However, non-collaborative projects or new projects are equally welcome and will be given the same priority. Proposals are expected to provide a clear overview of how the proposed systems address one or more of the opportunities arising from the use of soft materials concerning: • active and passive adaptability• whole-body deformation and dexterity• complexity reduction by exploiting morphological computation• functional integration/fusion of soft robotic systems approaches• control improvement in actuation/sensor integration• human-robot interactionThe programme is intended to be highly interdisciplinary, with close collaborations to enhance the possibilities for technology transfer and the mutual knowledge exchange. The projects are emphasized to build on each others’ progress, leading to an accelerated and efficient development process of soft material robotic systems. Potential participants are encouraged to establish collaborations with other research groups, addressing how the collaboration is beneficial for the aim of the Priority Programme. Successful projects should contribute to soft material robotics by demonstrating how the potential of soft materials can be effectively employed.It should be noted here, that the common abbreviation “soft robotics” can be misleading, as it is also used for robots that are extrinsically soft, i.e. robots in which compliancy is achieved through mechanism design (i.e. springs, compliant joints) and control. While these extrinsically soft robots are not within the scope of the programme, innovative proposals that address currents issues posed by intrinsically soft robotic systems are highly encouraged.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• International Connection: United Kingdom

Projects

• Active control of stiffness distribution adjustment and its application in underwater soft robots (Applicant Hu, Wenqi )
• Active Suction Device for Deep-Sea Applications (ASDDSA) (Applicants Kwasnitschka, Tom ;  Raatz, Annika )
• Biomimetic robots autonomously driven by dielectric elastomers (BROADCAST) (Applicants Kraus, Tobias ;  Marschner, Uwe ;  Vorrath, Ernst-Friedrich Markus )
• Co-design of feedback control and soft morphology for in-hand manipulation (Applicant Brock, Oliver )
• Coherent Methodology for Modelling and Design of Soft Material Robots – The Soft Material Robotics Toolbox (SMaRT) (Applicants Raatz, Annika ;  Seel, Thomas ;  Wallaschek, Jörg )
• Coordination Funds (Applicant Raatz, Annika )
• Design Methodology for Soft-Bodied Miniature Robot Locomotion (Applicant Sitti, Metin )
• Development and characterization of soft magnetic materials with anisotropy in the mechanical properties and multi-stimulated compliance (Applicants Odenbach, Stefan ;  Zimmermann, Klaus )
• Dielectric Elastomers Phase 2: Soft Material Actuator/Sensor Concepts for Three-Dimensional Soft Robotic Systems (Applicants Rizzello, Gianluca ;  Seelecke, Stefan )
• Enhanced Robotic Gripper Optimisation: Simulation utilising Machine-Learning (ERGO:SuM) (Applicant Pöschel, Thorsten )
• Experimental enriched beam model for robust simulation of soft material robotic systems (Applicant de Payrebrune, Kristin )
• Intelligent Polymer Materials as Actuators and Sensors for Soft Robotics Applications (IntPoly) (Applicants Ludwigs, Sabine ;  Steeb, Holger )
• Photomechanical Soft Grippers (Applicants Gorb, Stanislav N. ;  Staubitz, Anne )
• Pressure Tolerant Energy Converter for Deep Sea Applications (Applicant Kirchner, Frank )
• Self-Powered, Hybrid Triboelectric-Piezoresistive Tactile Sensor array-based Artificial Skin for Soft Robots (Applicants Das, Amit ;  Fery, Andreas )
• Soft material tendon-driven serial manipulators (Applicants Deutschmann, Bastian ;  Leine, Remco )
• Soft tensegrity structures with variable stiffness and shape changing ability (Applicants Böhm, Valter ;  Zentner, Lena )
• Wireless miniature medical soft robots inside our body (Applicant Keplinger, Christoph )

• Spokesperson: Professorin Dr.-Ing. Annika Raatz