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Active Stiffening and Damping for Soft Multi-Rotor Drones
Multi-rotor drones are often the only viable solution for remote access and navigation in search and rescue missions in post-disaster scenarios and in exploring hardly accessible spaces. At the Environmental Robotics Laboratory, we are challenging this paradigm with drones that have an almost entirely soft and deformable frame. These novel platforms are aimed to impact and physically interact with the walls of narrow passageways and squeeze to crawl through. We are looking for a competent and motivated student willing to explore active stiffening and damping methods to mitigate the limitations of a soft drone and, potentially, uncover low-energy active morphing properties of the drone's frame.
Multi-rotor drones are often the only viable solution for remote access and navigation in search and rescue missions in post-disaster scenarios and in exploring hardly accessible spaces. Traditional rigid-bodied drones are conceived to fly in open areas minimizing physical interactions with their surroundings. However, these drones struggle to access unstructured spaces passing through narrow openings as in collapsed buildings.
At the Environmental Robotics Laboratory, we are challenging this paradigm with drones that have an almost entirely soft and deformable frame. These novel platforms are aimed to impact and physically interact with the walls of narrow passageways and squeeze to crawl through.
Although the inherent flexibility of the soft frame allows for sufficient impact resilience and deformability for the task, it may hamper the controllability of the drone's flight and present unwanted, low-frequency vibration modes. For this reason, we are looking for a competent and motivated student willing to explore active stiffening and damping methods to mitigate the mentioned problems and, potentially, uncover low-energy active morphing properties of the drone's frame.
Multi-rotor drones are often the only viable solution for remote access and navigation in search and rescue missions in post-disaster scenarios and in exploring hardly accessible spaces. Traditional rigid-bodied drones are conceived to fly in open areas minimizing physical interactions with their surroundings. However, these drones struggle to access unstructured spaces passing through narrow openings as in collapsed buildings.
At the Environmental Robotics Laboratory, we are challenging this paradigm with drones that have an almost entirely soft and deformable frame. These novel platforms are aimed to impact and physically interact with the walls of narrow passageways and squeeze to crawl through. Although the inherent flexibility of the soft frame allows for sufficient impact resilience and deformability for the task, it may hamper the controllability of the drone's flight and present unwanted, low-frequency vibration modes. For this reason, we are looking for a competent and motivated student willing to explore active stiffening and damping methods to mitigate the mentioned problems and, potentially, uncover low-energy active morphing properties of the drone's frame.
The project aims to demonstrate that lightweight, energy-efficient active stiffening and damping solutions can stabilize the flight of almost completely soft multi-copters, and potentially enhance their morphing properties.
The selected candidate reviews the scientific literature dealing with active stiffening and damping technologies, limiting the research to application fields where the lightweight and compactness of the actuation strategy are design constraints. The student then formulates scientific hypotheses and plans the experimental activities and their time-scheduling, with particular attention to the needed materials and methods for supply reasons. The student iterates over design, implementation, and testing cycles until a satisfactory output is reached on a table-top prototype. The student finally implements the best-performing option on the soft drone and performs controlled flying tests for the characterization of the solution. Throughout the project, the student writes detailed documentation and reports for repeatability of the experiments and potential publication of the results.
The project aims to demonstrate that lightweight, energy-efficient active stiffening and damping solutions can stabilize the flight of almost completely soft multi-copters, and potentially enhance their morphing properties. The selected candidate reviews the scientific literature dealing with active stiffening and damping technologies, limiting the research to application fields where the lightweight and compactness of the actuation strategy are design constraints. The student then formulates scientific hypotheses and plans the experimental activities and their time-scheduling, with particular attention to the needed materials and methods for supply reasons. The student iterates over design, implementation, and testing cycles until a satisfactory output is reached on a table-top prototype. The student finally implements the best-performing option on the soft drone and performs controlled flying tests for the characterization of the solution. Throughout the project, the student writes detailed documentation and reports for repeatability of the experiments and potential publication of the results.
To apply for this project, contact me attaching your updated CV and your updated transcript of records at the address:
Luca Girardi - luca.girardi@usys.ethz.ch
A statement of motivation is appreciated.
To apply for this project, contact me attaching your updated CV and your updated transcript of records at the address: Luca Girardi - luca.girardi@usys.ethz.ch A statement of motivation is appreciated.