Handbook on Soft Robotics: Meet the Authors, Share Ideas, and Explore

Welcome to the Handbook on Soft Robotics: Meet the Authors, Share Ideas, and Explore event! Join us on Wednesday, 30th April from 17:30 in Lecture Theatre G16, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College London (South Kensington campus) for an exciting opportunity to connect with the authors of the Handbook on Soft Robotics. We encourage you to attend in person to engage with the authors, exchange ideas, and dive into the fascinating world of soft robotics. If you're joining us online, a YouTube livestream link will be sent to all registered virtual guests ahead of the event. Professor Thrishantha Nanayakkara (Imperial College London), editor of the handbook, will open the evening with a 30-minute introduction, offering key insights into the book’s themes and concepts. Barry Mulvey (Imperial College London) will then host a Discussion and Audience Q&A. You’ll have the chance to ask questions directly to the authors, who will be joining us virtually from around the world: Cecilia Laschi (National University of Singapore) Barbara Mazzolai (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) Thrishantha Nanayakkara, Barry Mulvey, Shehara Perera, Yukun Ge, Zhenhua Yu, Parvathi Sunilkumar (Imperial College London) Isuru Godage (Texas A&M University) Hunter Gilbert (Louisiana State University) Christian Duriez (INRIA, University of Lille) Shinichi Hirai (Ritsumeikan University) Angus B. Clark, Xinran Wang, Alex Ranne (Imperial College London) Nicolas Rojas (The AI Institute) Manu Srivastava (Clemson University) Ian D. Walker (University of Wyoming) Cynthia Sung (University of Pennsylvania) Jamie Paik (EPFL) Fumiya Iida (University of Cambridge) The Handbook challenges traditional definitions of “softness” by shifting focus from materials (such as silicone rubber) to the emergent properties of a robot when it experiences external forces and their frequencies. As the authors explain: “A soft robot is characterized by its capability to generate a purposeful structural response when subjected to a specific range of external forces, their associated frequency components, or a combination of both, all with the primary objective of executing a designated task.” The book also introduces the concept of Ghost Circuits, used to describe embodied intelligence as an emergent property of dynamic system interactions: “The foundation of embodied intelligence is a ghost circuit of different dynamic systems. Ghost circuits come together when conditions are right and dissolve otherwise. Intelligence is a temporary perception rendered by a ghost circuit while it exists.” 💡 We want to hear from you! What are your key takeaways from the book? What unmet needs or challenges should we address next in the field? Your ideas could help shape the future of soft robotics! We look forward to seeing you at the event! More info on the Handbook of Soft Robotics: https://link.springer.com/book/10.100...