Miniaturized Pneumatic Systems for Soft Robotics and Wearables

 Soft robotics and wearable technologies are rapidly evolving to meet the growing demand for systems that are gentle, compliant, and adaptable to human interaction. Traditional rigid electronics and mechanical components pose limitations in comfort, scalability, and responsiveness—especially in applications involving fragile objects or human bodies. This talk presents a novel approach to overcoming these challenges through miniaturized pneumatic systems that enable soft actuation, logic-based control, electronic-free sensing, and integrated sensorimotor functionality for seamless human-machine interaction. We explore four key innovations: (1) Multiplexing techniques that reduce control complexity while enabling large-scale actuation; (2) Logic-enabled pneumatic valves that offer programmable and reconfigurable behavior; (3) Electronic-free sensing for haptic feedback and interaction; and (4) Modular reconfigurability for rapid prototyping and system adaptability. These developments are supported by experimental results, simulations, and fabrication strategies using soft materials and sacrificial molding. The talk will highlight how these technologies contribute to the future of soft robotics—enabling scalable, sensorimotor capabilities, and human-friendly systems for rehabilitation, assistive devices, and interactive design.