Dr Andrew Conn
Ph.D.
Current positions
Associate Professor of Robotics
School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology
Contact
Press and media
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Research interests
My research revolves around the application of biological inspiration to solve challenging engineering problems. The integration of elasticity and compliance into systems such robots is central to this, driven by the potential for great improvements in human-robot interaction, prosthetic devices and robot mobility in unstructured environments. The primary focus of my research involves the development of soft actuation technologies such as electro-active polymers, which possess actuation characteristics comparable to biological muscle. Recent research highlights have included advancements in elastomeric actuator fabrication techniques, scalable multiple degree of freedom actuators, soft worm-like robots and the development of artificial chromatophores for soft visual displays.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
ROBOCONE: intelligent robotic geotechnical characterisation for next generation site investigation and design
Principal Investigator
Role
Researcher
Managing organisational unit
School of Civil, Aerospace and Design EngineeringDates
01/06/2022 to 31/12/2025
8036 DSTL - Bio-inspired and Soft Robotics Study DSTLX-1000150791
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Department of Mechanical EngineeringDates
01/08/2020 to 31/12/2022
Digital Tattoo: Designing interface for Controlling Smart Ink in Programmable Tattoo
Principal Investigator
Role
Principal Investigator
Description
Digital inks to produce digital tattoos are conceptually around since a long time but no one has critically examine how to make i t happen. This project aims at to…Managing organisational unit
Department of Computer ScienceDates
01/01/2020 to 31/07/2020
Biorobotic technologies for improved treatment of urinary incontinence
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Department of Mechanical EngineeringDates
02/09/2019 to 31/08/2020
SoRo for Health: Implantable soft robotics for restoration of physiological function
Role
Co-Investigator
Description
SoRo for Health is a unique interdisciplinary Platform uniting three new and rapidly advancing areas of science (soft robotics, advanced biomaterials and bioprinting, regenerative medicine) in a collaboration that will…Managing organisational unit
Department of Engineering MathematicsDates
01/06/2019 to 31/05/2024
Thesis supervisions
Integration and Coupling of High Performance Dielectric Elastomer Actuator Systems
Supervisors
Soft robotics technologies to treat laryngeal disorders
Supervisors
Intelligence in soft robotics
Supervisors
Graph-based methodology for designing vibration suppression systems
Supervisors
Investigation into the aerodynamics of gliding snakes
Supervisors
Implanted Device for Stress Urinary Incontinence by Using Soft Technologies
Supervisors
Euglenoid Movement and Novel Mechanisms for Soft Robots
Supervisors
Inherently Elastic Actuation for Soft Robotics
Supervisors
Optical control of electrostatic actuators using amorphous silicon
Supervisors
Publications
Recent publications
08/08/2024A Phase-Change Emulsion Jamming Gripper for Manipulation of Micro-Scale Textured Surfaces
2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2024
BlimpleBee: The helium assisted indoor inspection drone
Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems
Braille-tip
2024 10th IEEE RAS/EMBS International Conference for Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob)
Directing Anisotropic Friction and Compliant Structures Towards In-pipe Locomotion & Navigation
2024 IEEE 7th International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)
Development and Preliminary Testing of a New Robotic Tool for Direct Determination of ‘P-Y’ Soil Reaction Curves for Offshore Geotechnical Applications
Teaching
- Soft Robotics (EMATM0057) - Unit Director
- Individual Research Project (MENG35000) - Project Supervisor
- Group Industrial Project (MENGM5000) - Project Supervisor
- Dissertation Project (EMATM0055) - Project Supervisor
Related people
Professor Jonathan Rossiter
Professor of Robotics
School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology
Professor Simon Neild
Professor in Nonlinear Structural Dynamics
School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering
Professor Jason Zheng Jiang
Professor of Dynamics and Control
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Professor Helmut Hauser
Professor of Soft Robotics and Morphological Computation
School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology
Mr Martin Garrad
Lecturer in Robotics
School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology