Robert J. Wood

About

Robert J. Wood is the Harry Lewis and Marlyn McGrath Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. He serves as the Director of Graduate Studies at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. His primary teaching areas include Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering. His research encompasses a broad range of fields including applied mathematics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, modeling physical and biological phenomena, applied physics, soft matter, bioengineering, bioinspired robotics and computing, biomechanics and motor control, electrical engineering, robotics and control, and materials science and mechanical engineering. His work involves developing innovative robotic systems, studying biological and physical systems, and advancing technologies in bioengineering and robotics.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Engineering
• Materials science
• Embedded system
• Physics
• Computer vision
• Mechanical engineering
• Human–computer interaction
• Biology

Selected publications

• Ultra-sensitive and resilient compliant strain gauges for soft machines

  Nature · 2020 · 493 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• A Dexterous Soft Robotic Hand for Delicate In-Hand Manipulation

  IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters · 2020 · 235 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  In this letter, we show that soft robotic hands provide a robust means of performing basic primitives of in-hand manipulation in the presence of uncertainty. We first discuss the design of a prototype hand with dexterous soft fingers capable of moving objects within the hand using several basic motion primitives. We then empirically validate the ability of the hand to perform the desired object motion primitives while still maintaining strong grasping capabilities. Based on these primitives, we…

  DOI

• A Wearable Soft Haptic Communicator Based on Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

  Soft Robotics · 2020 · 183 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  Dielectric elastomer actuators exhibit an unusual combination of large displacements, moderate bandwidth, low power consumption, and mechanical impedance comparable with human skin, making them attractive for haptic devices. In this article, we propose a wearable haptic communication device based on a two-by-two array of dielectric elastomer linear actuators. We briefly describe the architecture of the actuators and their mechanical and electrical integration into a wearable armband. We then cha…

  DOI

• Active entanglement enables stochastic, topological grasping

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2022 · 118 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  Grasping, in both biological and engineered mechanisms, can be highly sensitive to the gripper and object morphology, as well as perception and motion planning. Here, we circumvent the need for feedback or precise planning by using an array of fluidically actuated slender hollow elastomeric filaments to actively entangle with objects that vary in geometric and topological complexity. The resulting stochastic interactions enable a unique soft and conformable grasping strategy across a range of ta…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Smart Thermally Actuating Textiles

  Advanced Materials Technologies · 2020 · 69 citations

  Abstract Soft robots have attracted attention for biomedical and consumer devices. However, most of these robots are pneumatically actuated, requiring a tether and thus limiting wearable applications that require multiple controlled actuators. By pairing liquid‐vapor phase change actuation with a textile‐based laminated manufacturing method, smart thermally actuating textiles (STATs) eliminate the need for a pneumatic tether. STATs are lightweight and unobtrusive for wearable applications and ex…

  DOI

Recent grants

• Collaborative Research: A Combustion-Powered, Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle

  NSF · $226k · 2015–2018

• Collaborative Research: RoboBees: A Convergence of Body, Brain and Colony

  NSF · $9.3M · 2009–2014

• NRI-Large: Collaborative Research: Soft Compliant Robotic Augmentation for Human-Robot Teams

  NSF · $520k · 2012–2017

Frequent coauthors

• Roger H. French

  Case Western Reserve University

  66 shared

• Michael Karpelson

  Harvard University

  56 shared

• Néstor O. Pérez-Arancibia

  49 shared

• Benjamin M. Finio

  Cornell University

  47 shared

• John P. Whitney

  45 shared

• Daniel M. Vogt

  Harvard University

  45 shared

• Conor J. Walsh

  Harvard University

  44 shared

• Pratheev S. Sreetharan

  38 shared

Labs

• Microrobotics LabPI

Similar researchers at Harvard University

• Conor Walshh-152
• Zhigang Suoh-137
• David Clarkeh-114