Undulatory Locomotion Across Environments: A Robophysical Approach to Sensing, Modeling, and Control

Monday, November 16th, 2026, at 10:00 am

In Person Location: Howey N201

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Meeting ID: 225 329 8341

Open to the Community

Advisor:

Dr. Daniel I. Goldman (School of Biological Sciences)

Committee Members:

Dr. Michael Goodisman (School of Biological Sciences)

Dr. Tony Chen (School of Mechanical Engineering)

Dr. Joseph Mendelson (School of Biological Sciences)

Abstract:
Biological organisms sense and move through continuous physical coupling with their environment. These interactions provide sensory information and generate forces that shape movement. This thesis will use robophysics to investigate how body-environment coupling supports sensing, locomotion, and control, with particular emphasis on environments where inertia does not dominate motion. Combining physical experiments, mechanical modeling, and simulation, the proposed work will examine these relationships across complementary projects. Robophysical models of tactile antennae will be used to investigate how contact with environmental features supports sensing. A physical model of centipede swimming will provide a platform for studying how coordinated movement and interactions with water produce locomotion at fluid interfaces. Water-surface resistive force theory (RFT) modeling will extend this investigation to limbless systems, examining relationships between body motion, environmental forces, and locomotor performance. MuJoCo simulations will explore how limb-environment contact can provide information for closed-loop locomotion control. Together, these studies will examine how physical coupling shapes sensory information and the capacity for movement. The proposed work aims to develop a robophysical understanding of the principles connecting environmental interaction, sensing, and locomotion.