2024/25 - 2024-02: Constellation #2

2024/25

2024-02: Gripping Like Geckos

Summary:

Constellations Research Fellows spent the day at Stanford University in the Biomimetics and Dexterous Manipulation Lab with Professor of Mechanical Engineering Mark Cutcosky and two of his graduate students, EmJ Rennich and Venny Hristov Kojouharov. Research Fellows had an opportunity to learn about the gecko adhesive tape that has been designed by engineers at Stanford University, and then they designed their own experiments to test the adhesive strength in small groups and to develop an engineering prototype for a “grabber,” which used the adhesive. Culminating with a lab group meeting, all participants shared their design plans with the team and discussed potential applications for gecko adhesive in the real world.

Facilitators:

I-Heng
McComb
Teacher Lead

TBD

Mark
Cutkosky
Scientist Lead

Mark Cutkosky is the Fletcher Jones Chair in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University. He has been active in bioinspired robotics for over 30 years and has graduated over 70 PhD students. He hails from Pittsburgh, PA where he worked as an engineer at ALCOA before doing his own PhD at Carnegie Mellon University. He loves the outdoors and music and he seems to spend a lot of time fixing things at home.

EmJ
Rennick
Grad Student

EmJ Rennich is a 2nd year PhD student studying bioinspired robotic hardware design in the Biomimetics and Dexterous Manipulation Lab. She is excited about the intersection between science and art and loves to make things in her spare time! Outside of research, EmJ loves spending time outdoors backpacking, exploring, or cycling!

Venny
Kojouharov
Grad Student

Venny Kojouharov is a 1st year PhD student also bioinspired robotics and mechanism design in the Biomimetic and Dexterous Manipulation Lab with Prof. Mark Cutkosky. He is excited about designing robots that can go in places humans cannot! Outside of lab, Venny enjoys backpacking, woodworking, and playing basketball!