Event Location: NSH 1507
Bio: Mark Yim is an Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to this, he was Principal Scientist at the Palo Alto Research
Center (formerly Xerox PARC) where he established a group developing
modular self-reconfigurable robots. His group has demonstrated
modular robots that can form different shapes, jump, ride tricycles,
climb stairs, poles and fences, manipulate objects and reassemble
themselves after being kicked into pieces. His other research
interests include biologically inspired mechanims, flying robots and
meso-scale MEMs devices. He has over 40 patents issued (perhaps most
prominent are ones related to the Sony PS2 and Microsoft Xbox joypad
vibration control which resulted in US$100,000,000 in litigation and
settlements).

Abstract: Robotic manipulation of human victims is a problem that has been
avoided by the robotics community. This talk will present some of the
issues in using small robots aiding the transport of incapacitated
victims. Focusing on the manipulation of victims in preparation for
transport, the primary design specifications come from the required
forces that a small robot would need to be capable of applying. In
addition, I’ll talk about a variety of other things that are happening
in the modlab part of the GRASP lab at the University of Pennsylvania.