Soft Robotics for Space Exploration

The emerging field of soft robotics represents a significant opportunity for novel solutions in the demanding environment of space. This talk will feature a brief overview of the domain of soft robotics, its suitability to space exploration applications, and a survey of NASA funded projects involving soft and/or hybrid robotics. There will also be discussion of the interpretation of next-generation space suits as wearable soft robots, and the exciting potential mechanical counter-pressure presents.

Bio:

Ms. Kari Love is an administrator and a soft roboticist with a specialty in wearable technology for Super-Releaser, a Brooklyn-based soft robotics R&D consultancy. She worked with Final Frontier Design, a commercial space suit company, from 2013-2016 as Lead Patternmaker and Fabricator. In that role Ms. Love worked as a technical expert on 3 NASA SBIR contracts, a Space Act Agreement, and a contract on Mechanical Counter-Pressure gloves. She also served as a Test Director for hardware validation in parabolic flight conducted with NRC-Canda. Prior to her career in commercial space tech, Ms. Love developed costumes for Broadway for more than a decade, including her Spider-Man:Turn Off The Dark costume which was inducted into the Smithsonian collection. She was also a bridesmaid on the first documented weightless wedding in parabolic flight.