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Explore the cutting-edge field of soft robotics through this 25-minute webinar presented by Dr. Aishwarya Pantula, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Discover how to engineer untethered, thermoresponsive hydrogel robots that can crawl autonomously across unpatterned surfaces without external control systems. Learn about the innovative design of multisegmented bilayer gelbots composed of active poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) and passive polyacrylamide (pAAM) materials connected by suspended linkers that enable unidirectional movement through spontaneous asymmetries in contact forces. Examine how finite element simulations validate experimental results and understand how design parameters such as linker stiffness, morphology, and number of bilayer segments can be tuned to control gelbot displacement. Gain insights into the broader implications of embodying intelligence into materials for creating systems that autonomously sense, adapt, and respond to environmental stimuli similar to living organisms. Explore potential applications in targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery, and programmable bio-actuation while understanding how this research addresses fundamental challenges in soft robotics, bioengineering, and medicine. The presentation includes detailed learning objectives covering thermoresponsive hydrogel mechanisms, design parameter influences, and biomedical applications, with opportunities to earn PACE continuing education credits.
