DARE Lab @ VT

The Dynamic Robots and Structures (DARE) Lab is dedicated to pioneering new paradigms of robots and functional structures with programmable properties and physical intelligence. They can exist in various forms, and the currently active topics are:

The key to our research is to architect and harness the interplay between geometry, dynamics, and computation in different material systems.

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Property Programming: The ability to design the mechanical response in silico, and adapt them in situ on demand.
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Physical Intelligence: The ability to perceive information and decide on the action plan within the physical body.

We always welcome new talents to join our group! Just send us an email at suyili@vt.edu.

Gallery

Joshua Kaufmann (M.S. 2020) designed a robotic arm that can reconfigure itself with different articulations.
Joshua Kaufmann (M.S. 2020) designed a robotic arm that can reconfigure itself with different articulations.
Priyanka Bhovad (Ph.D. 2022) developed a new approach to make a robot crawl like an earthworm without using any controllers.
Priyanka Bhovad (Ph.D. 2022) developed a new approach to make a robot crawl like an earthworm without using any controllers.
Vishrut Deshpande (Ph.D. 2024) uncovers the buckling mechanics of bistable composite laminates
Vishrut Deshpande (Ph.D. 2024) uncovers the buckling mechanics of bistable composite laminates
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Hesam Khosravi (Ph.D. 2022) found a way to sequence the mechanical bits in stretched Kirigami sheets to program bandgaps.
Hesam Khosravi (Ph.D. 2022) found a way to sequence the mechanical bits in stretched Kirigami sheets to program bandgaps.
Priyanka Bhovad (Ph.D. 2022) discovered that origami could be a “mechanical” neural network for machine learning.
Priyanka Bhovad (Ph.D. 2022) discovered that origami could be a “mechanical” neural network for machine learning.
Ziyang Zhou (Ph.D. 2027) made an electronics-free crawling robot with a mechanical central pattern generator.
Ziyang Zhou (Ph.D. 2027) made an electronics-free crawling robot with a mechanical central pattern generator.

More to come…

News & Updates

Our paper on the Kresling robotic arm has been elected as a “high-impact article” by the Soft Robotics journal. Our paper on the Kresling robotic arm has been elected as a “high-impact article” by the Soft Robotics journal.
Our paper on the Kresling robotic arm has been elected as a “high-impact article” by the Soft Robotics journal.
Milestone
December 18, 2023

Active Research Topics

Current Members

Publication Highlight

We have published close to 80 journal manuscripts and conference papers. You can witness the impact of our research scholarship via our Google Scholar profile. Below is the list of our recent journal papers. You can see the full list of our journal papers here, and conference papers here.

2024
Self-Sustained and Coordinated Rhythmic Deformations with SMA for Controller-Free Locomotion
Zhou Z, Li S
Advanced Intelligent Systems
2023
Fatigue Performance Evaluation of Bistable Composites at Different Combinations of Loading and Environmental Conditions
Chowdhury S, Li S, Myers O
Journal of Composite Materials
High-fidelity Modeling of Dynamic Origami Folding Using Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation (ANCF)
Tao J, Eldeeb AE, Li S
Mechanics Research Communication
High-fidelity Analysis of Asymmetric CFRP Composites Using Reissner-Mindlin Theory and Hygroscopic Degradation
Deshpande V, Chowdhurry A. S, Myers O, Li S
Composites Science and Technology
Building Intelligence in the Mechanical Domain — Harvesting the Reservoir Computing Power in Origami to Achieve Information Perception Tasks
Wang J, Li S
Advanced Intelligent Systems
Phononic Bandgap Programming in Kirigami By Unique Mechanical Input Sequencing
Khosravi H, Li S
Advanced Materials Technologies
2022
Harnessing the Multistability of Kresling Origami for Reconfigurable Articulation in Soft Robotic Arms
Kaufmann J, Bhovad P, Li S
Soft Robotics
Asymmetric Multi-stability from Relaxing the Rigid-folding Conditions in a Stacked Miura-ori Cellular Solid
Tao J, Li S
Thin-Walled Structures
Tunable Wave Propagation Bandgap Via Stretching kirigami Sheets
Khosravi H, Li S
Physical Review Applied
Engineering by Cuts: How Kirigami Principle Enables Unique Mechanical Properties and Functionalities
Tao J, Khosravi H, Deshpande V, Li S
Advanced Science
2021
Defining Relationships Between Geometry and Behavior of Bistable Composite Laminates
Phatak S, Myers OJ, Li S, Fadel G
Journal of Composite Materials
TMP Origami Jumping Mechanism with Nonlinear Stiffness
Sadeghi S, Allison SR, Bestill B, Li S
Smart Materials and Structures
Transient Deformation and Curvature Evolution During the Snap-through of a Bistable Laminate under Asymmetric Point Load
Deshpande V, Myers O, Fadel G, Li S
Composites Science and Technology
Physical Reservoir Computing with Origami and its Application To Robotic Crawling
Bhovad P, Li S
Scientific Reports
Pneumatic Soft Actuators With Kirigami Skins
Khosravi H, Iannucci SM, Li S
Frontiers in Robotics and AI
2020
Pneumatic Coiling Actuator Inspired by the Awns of Erodium cicutarium
Geer R, Iannucci S, Li S
Frontiers in Robotics and AI
Dynamic Folding of Origami by Exploiting Asymmetric Bi-stability
Sadeghi S, Li S
Extreme Mechanics Letters
2019
Architected Origami Materials: How Folding Creates Sophisticated Mechanical Properties
Li S, Fang H, Sadeghi S, Bhovad P, Wang KW
Advanced materials
Fluidic Origami with Asymmetric Quasi-Zero Stiffness for Low-frequency Vibration Isolation
Sadeghi S, Li S
Smart Materials and Structures
Snap-through and Stiffness Adaptation of a Multi-stable Kirigami Composite Module
Lele A, Deshpande V, Myers O, Li S
Composites Science and Technology
Origami Lattices and Folding-induced Lattice Transformations
Fang H, Li S, Thota M, Wang KW
Physical Review Research
Peristaltic Locomotion without Digital Controllers: Exploiting Origami Multi-stability to Coordinate Robotic Motions
Bhovad P, Kaufmann J, Li S
Extreme Mechanics Letters
2018
Harnessing the anisotropic multistability of stacked-origami me- chanical metamaterials for effective modulus programming
Sengupta S, Li S
Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures
Actuation Performance of Fluidic Origami Cellular Structure: a Holistic Investigation
Sane H, Bhovad P, Li S
Smart Materials and Structures
2017
Lattice Reconfiguration and Phononic Band-gap Adaptation via Origami Folding
Thota M, Li S, Wang KW
Physical Review B
Dynamics of a Bistable Miura-origami Structure
Fang H, Li S, Ji H
Physical Review E
Asymmetric Energy Barrier and Mechanical Diode Effect from Folding Multi-stable Stacked Origami
Fang H, Wang KW, Li S
Extreme Mechanics Letters
2016
Recoverable and Programmable Collapse from Folding Pressurized Origami Cellular Solids
Li S, Fang H, Wang KW
Physical Review Letters
Uncovering the Deformation Mechanisms of Origami Metamaterials by Introducing Generic Degree-four Vertices
Fang H, Li S, Ji H, Wang KW
Physical Review E
Self-locking Degree-4 Vertex Origami Structures
Fang H, Li S, Wang KW
Proceedings of Royal Society A
Plant Inspired Adaptive Structures and Materials for Morphing and Actuation: a Review
Li S, Wang KW
Bioinspiration & Biomimetics

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