INTRODUCTION

Conventionally engineers have employed rigid materials to fabricate precise robotic systems. However, biological systems often out perform these robotic systems by utilizing soft deformable bodies. The goal of our research project is to mimic some of these soft biological systems and employ them in robotic systems. Soft robotic systems have successfully been implemented in robotic manipulators, wearable exoskeletons, search and rescue robots, and many other applications. The goal of this research will be to explore various types of soft robotic actuators, test their feasibility, and possibly implement these actuators in a soft robotic manipulator.

Technology

Our lab works with various types of artificial muscles. The successful candidate will be working mainly with newly developed nylon artificial muscles. These artificial muscles are soft, deformable, and generate forces that exceed even that of human muscles. The successful candidate will be working to integrate these muscles into a soft robotic actuator. In addition, the project will involve analyzing alternative muscle technologies.

Objectives

Focus of this project is to develop a soft deformable actuator which can be implemented in a robotic system. The coop student involved in this project will assist in some of the following tasks:

• Rapid prototyping of actuator designs
• Integrating muscles into various materials
• Designing test setups for testing the actuators
• Running experiments and analyzing the results

 Education

• Undergraduate in Mechatronics, Systems engineering, Biomedical engineering, or Engineering Physics
• Previous coop experience desirable but not required

Desired Skills

• Experience with 3D modelling software (solidworks, Fusion 360, AutoCad Fusion, FreeCad etc.)
• Experience with any of the following: C/C++, Java, C#
• Experience analyzing data using any one of the following: Matlab, python, excel
• Experience with 3D printing is preferred but not required
• Experience working in the machine shop (milling, lathe, etc.) is preferred but not required
• Experience working with arduino is preferred but not required

The student will work with the assistance of graduate students and/or Post doctorate fellows. 

Please send applications to Lee Sutton at lmsutton@sfu.ca

Prerequisite: 

• at least 100 credit hours
• GPA > 2.8

Notes:

§  Minimum honorarium is provided;

§  The ideal candidate would like to contribute in applied research and be willing to work on a mechatronic project.

NB: There is a strong possibility to be involved in the publication of a scientific article