Functional Soft Robotic Matter

Hexagonal electrohydraulic modules for rapidly reconfigurable high-speed robots

We developed high-speed robotic modules that snap together into reconfigurable robotic systems. This work was published in Science Robotics (https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.adl3546).

Biodegradable electrohydraulic actuators for sustainable soft robots

We developed materials system for fully biodegradable electrohydraulic actuators. This work was published in Science Advances (https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf5551).

Spider-inspired electrohydraulic soft-actuated SES joints

We developed an electrohydraulically actuated soft joint for articulated robots, whose design was inspired the mechanics of spider legs. This work was published in Advanced Science (https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202100916).

What links olive oil with prostheses?

Philipp Rothemund participated in the television show Verknüpft on the French-German cultural television channel Arte. The show featured HASEL (Hydraulically amplified, self-healing, electrostatic) actuators as a promising new technology for robotics.

High Strain Peano-HASEL Actuators

We developed a new design of an electrohydraulic actuator that exhibits drastically increased actuation strains. This work was published in Advanced Functional Materials (https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201908821).

A Soft Bistable Valve for the Autonomous Control of Soft Robots

We introduce snap-through instabilities as a new mechanism for soft control elements that enable feedback control in fluid-driven soft robots. This work was published in Science Robotics (https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aar7986).

Interview for NTN24

Philipp Rothemund was interviewed for the show Science, Health, and Technology on the Spanish speaking news channel NTN24 for his work on stretchable, transparent, ionic conductors.

Stretchable, Transparent, Ionic Conductors

We developed a new stretchable, transparent conductor based on ionically conducting hydrogels. This work was published in Science (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1240228)