Michael Wehner is the founder of the University of Wisconsin, Madison Machine Interaction Lab, which leverages expertise in machine design, soft systems, and human factors to develop novel solutions in the fields of robotics, soft robotics, and embodied intelligence. His soft robotics work includes development of Octobot, the world’s first entirely soft robot, investigations into energetics/fuel options for mobile soft robots, soft lithography/microfluidics in robotics, liquid ionic sensors for somatosensory feedback, and development of early crawling and jumping soft robots. Exploration of these soft systems has provided a foundation for exploration of embodied intelligence, the interaction between body and controller, and body-wide distributed computation. Prior machine interaction work includes passive and active wearable systems including orthotics, workplace exoskeleton research, and the first engineered soft exosuit. Wehner has also worked extensively in industry, including consulting, medical devices, consumer products, and semiconductor capital equipment.
Prof. Wehner on YouTube: https://youtu.be/diYykqC4WBQ
