Abstract: Flapping-wing flight at the insect-scale is incredibly challenging. I will present a new class of bio-inspired micro-flyers, ones that are powered by high bandwidth soft actuators and equipped with rigid appendages. Our robot can demonstrate a 1000-second hovering flight, acrobatic maneuvers such as body saccades and somersaults, and exceptional resilience to collision and damage. I will also discuss our recent progress in incorporating onboard sensors, electronics, and batteries.
Bio: Kevin Chen is an associate professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT. His research interests include microrobotics and soft robotics. He is a recipient of the Toshio Fukuda Young Professional Award, the NSF CAREER Award, and multiple best paper (TRO 21, RAL 20, IROS 15) and teaching awards.