PROPOSAL NUMBER: 0328274INSTITUTION: University of Nevada RenoPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Kim, Kwang J. PROPOSAL NUMBER: 0328275INSTITUTION: University of Nevada Las VegasPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Yim, Woosoon

PROPOSAL TITLE: Collaborative Research: Biologically Inspired Cilia-Driven Microscale Robots

Recent advances in smart electroactive polymers have created a unique opportunity to combine microscale science, robotic engineering and biomimetics. These materials can be applied to microscale structures of arbitrary shape with biomimetic features. Largely inspired by nature, we propose an approach in integrating electroactive materials and control into a new class of cilia-driven microscale robots. The objective of the proposed research is to investigate key scientific issues on: i) materials development and identification, ii) biomimetic design of microscale cilia structures, and iii) robotic controls. The proposed cilia-driven microscale robot systems have a wide spectrum of future engineering applications such as drug delivery micro-robots and micro-colonoscopy systems.

The goal of the proposed research program is to provide students with the expertise to broadly address the future needs of industry and academia in small-scale science and engineering as well as robotics on small scales. Also, the proposed study will help increase the diversity in the research and educational mission of this effort.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS)
Application #
0328274
Program Officer
C.S. George Lee
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2003-08-01
Budget End
2007-06-30
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$250,000
Indirect Cost
Name
Board of Regents, Nshe, Obo University of Nevada, Reno
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Reno
State
NV
Country
United States
Zip Code
89557