Rob Shepherd received his B.S. (2002) and Ph.D. (2010) in Material Science at the University of Illinois where his research focused on developing polymeric and colloidal suspensions as 'inks' for 3D printers. He also fabricated microfluidic devices to synthesize single micron to millimeter scale parts (e.g., glass and silicon microgears). Concurrently to performing this research, he received his M.B.A. (2009) at U of I and started a company, worked with several other startups, and gained significant experience with the details of market research, financials, accounting issues, and legal aspects of entrepreneurship. In 2010, he continued his education as a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University in George Whitesides's research group in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. In this group, he developed pneumatic actuators in soft elastomers that took the form of a machine capable of moving in multiple gaits: walking and undulating. These actuators have also been used for low-cost manipulators, and in concert with a microfluidic system for biomimetic camouflage & display.
Dr. Shepherd is interested in developing disruptive manufacturing technologies (e.g., 3D printing, replica molding, microfluidics, etc.) and functional materials to enable new devices and user experiences. He is particularly interested in simultaneously increasing the speed, dimensionality, resolution, and materials capability of free-form fabrication techniques, and developing soft actuators that mimic biological functions, but not necessarily their mechanisms: These interests are synergistic and will, perhaps, enable more efficient and life-like machines.
Design and Manufacturing.
A new fiber-optic sensor results in a stretchable “skin” that could give soft robotic systems the ability to feel the same sensations that mammals depend on to navigate the world. The sensor was... Read more about Stretchable sensor gives robots and VR a human touch
Researchers in the Sibley School and horticulture developed earthworm-shaped robots that can burrow into the soil with minimal disturbance to better understand roots which could help breed new drought... Read more about Earthworm-shaped robots could help breed new drought-resistant crops
To address the challenge of managing soft robots' internal temperature, Associate Professor Rob Shepherd and his team took inspiration from our own natural cooling system: sweating. Read more about Researchers create 3D-printed, sweating robot muscle
