CNDD & CCNTP – Neuromuscular Actuators for Robotics and Health

Join the Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery and the Carolina Cancer Nanotechnology Training Program for “Neuromuscular Actuators for Robotics and Health.” Dr. Ritu Raman, PhD, the d’Arbeloff Career Development Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT will lead a presentation and Q&A for this event.

This event will be held Thursday, May 4 from 12:30 – 1:30 PM.

Please e-mail Amy Fry at amy_fry@unc.edu to register.

Below is a brief abstract of the event:

Human beings and other biological creatures navigate unpredictable and dynamic environments by combining compliant mechanical actuators (skeletal muscle) with neural control and sensory feedback. Abiotic actuators, by contrast, have yet to match their biological counterparts in their ability to autonomously sense and adapt their form and function to changing environments. We have shown that engineered skeletal muscle actuators, controlled by neuronal networks, can generate force and power functional behaviors such as walking and pumping in a range of untethered robots. These muscle-powered robots are dynamically responsive to mechanical stimuli and are capable of complex functional behaviors like exercise-mediated strengthening and healing in response to damage. Our lab uses engineered bioactuators as a platform to understand neuromuscular architecture and function in physiological and pathological states, restore mobility after disease and damage, and power soft robots. This talk will cover the advantages, challenges, and future directions of understanding and manipulating the mechanics of biological motor control.