ep35 - Cosimo Della Santina: From Dexterous Manipulation to Soft Robotics and Embodied Intelligence

Outline
00:00 – Intro
01:19 – Early steps: PhD journey & robotic hands
15:42 – What is a soft robot?
23:35 – MIT years & models of soft robots
30:01 – Discretization & underactuation
37:21 – The regulation problem
47:01 – Pros and cons of soft robots
51:42 – The soft inverted pendulum
1:05:27 – Eigenmanifolds
1:15:22 – Physical intelligence
1:26:09 – On machine learning
1:37:49 – Embodied AI & TC on Robot Control
1:44:50 – Advice to future students

Links
- Cosimo’s website: https://tinyurl.com/mt37597k
- Piaggio Center: https://tinyurl.com/muryjw5h
- Pisa Robotic Hand: https://tinyurl.com/4ujtec59
- Model-Based Dynamic Controller for a Planar Soft Robot: https://tinyurl.com/5a8fv3c8
- Soft Robot definition (Encyclopaedia of Robotics): https://tinyurl.com/3y2jz987
- Isidori’s book: https://tinyurl.com/42254hav
- CSM magazine paper: https://tinyurl.com/bd54an6x
- Cosserat rod theory: https://tinyurl.com/zu73nadx
- Strain function: https://tinyurl.com/y8v63ue2
- Zero dynamics: https://tinyurl.com/2ezarn5e
- The soft inverted pendulum: https://tinyurl.com/y4bzkkup
- Templates and anchors: https://tinyurl.com/2957w6sz
- Exciting Efficient Oscillations Through Eigenmanifold Stabilisation: https://tinyurl.com/yc3586y5
- When Do Lyapunov Subcentre Manifolds Become Eigenmanifolds?: https://tinyurl.com/5tckw7xe
- Passive walker: https://tinyurl.com/yjwwapv5
- Strandbeests: https://tinyurl.com/494mfccu
- Physical control: https://tinyurl.com/bdddb6ur
- Morphological computation: https://tinyurl.com/an6vaahx
- The Playful Machine: https://tinyurl.com/5525xys2

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Acknowledgments and sponsors
This episode was supported by the National Centre of Competence in Research on «Dependable, ubiquitous automation» and the IFAC Activity fund. The podcast benefits from the help of an incredibly talented and passionate team. Special thanks to L. Seward, E. Cahard, F. Banis, F. Dörfler, J. Lygeros, ETH studio and mirrorlake . Music was composed by A New Element.