![\"Samantha](\"http:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspiration\/files\/2016\/07\/DSCF3061-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Samantha works on the jumping spider model that mimics a jumping spider by using an air hockey table with a tethered puck with a consistent starting speed<\/p><\/div>\n
Researchers like Samantha Hemleben are beginning to explore the world of soft robotics<\/a>, creating robots that are made out of soft materials, acting through changes in air pressure<\/a>. These robots could be used for tasks where a light touch is needed to avoid bruising such as human contact or fruit picking. Currently, the technology to create soft robots involves making a 3D-printed mold and then casting the silicone robot parts in those molds. If you need a robot that has both soft and firm parts, it must be designed in separate steps, reducing efficiency and effectiveness.<\/p>\n This is where Samantha comes in; she’s trying to optimize this process. When she started her undergrad\u00a0at Wofford College, she tried out Biology, Pharmacy, and Finance, but didn’t feel challenged by them. Switching to mathematics with a computer science emphasis allowed her creativity to flourish and she was able to secure a Research Experience for Undergraduates here at OSU<\/a>, modeling a robot that mimics the movements of jumping spiders. This experience heavily influenced her decision to get her Ph. D. at OSU.<\/p>\n Samantha\u00a0is now a 2nd year Ph. D. student of Drs. Cindy Grimm<\/a> and Yi\u011fit Meng\u00fc\u00e7<\/a> in Robotics (School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering). Her research is focused on trying to understand the gradient\u00a0between hard and soft materials. That is, she’s creating mathematical models of this gradient so that the manufacturing process can be optimized, and soft robots will be able to stand on solid ground.<\/p>\n