Biohybrid and Organic Robotics Group

B.O.R.G. logo

Animals have long served as an inspiration for robotics. However, many of the mechanical properties, physical capabilities, and the behavioral flexibility seen in animals have yet to be achieved in robotic platforms. Towards addressing this gap, research in the CMU B.O.R.G focuses on the use of organic materials as structures, actuators, sensors, and controllers towards the development of biohybrid and organic robots. The research group’s long-term goal is to develop completely organic, autonomous robots with programmable neural circuits. Such robotic systems will have future applications in medicine, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring.

Faculty

Victoria Webster-Wood

Victoria Webster-Wood

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Courtesy Appointment in Biomedical Engineering

Courtesy Appointment in The Robotics Institute

Joining the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in Fall 2018, Webster-Wood established the Biohybrid and Organic Robotics Group (B.O.R.G.), bringing together bio-inspired robotics, tissue engineering, and computational neuroscience to create novel devices and advance the fields of bioinspired, biohybrid, and biodegradable robotics.

Publications

Vickie Webster-Wood’s most recent list of publications can be found on Google Scholar.

Office
Scaife A12
Phone
412.268.3017
Email
vwebster@andrew.cmu.edu
Google Scholar
Victoria Webster-Wood

Research Overview

Research in the CMU B.O.R.G. focuses on the study and application of biologically-derived tissues to create sustainable, biocompatible robotic systems. By studying existing tissues (such as skeletal muscle or neural circuits), we seek to identify design guidelines for bio-inspired and biohybrid robots. We can also use tissues, or cells isolated from these tissues, to grow novel organic systems in order to build biocompatible robots seeking to capture the compliance, behavioral flexibility, and force-to-weight ratios seen in living organisms. Finally, we are interested in the use of plant and protein-derived materials in the creation of sustainable, biodegradable, and even edible robots.

Research video

Research Team

Kevin Dai

Kevin Dai

Post-Doctorate

Research interests
bio-robots and controls
Ji Min Seok

Ji Min Seok

Post-Doctorate

Research interests
biohybrid robotics, biomanufacturing
Michael Bennington

Michael Bennington

Doctorate

Research interests
biomechanics, neuromechanics, biorobotics, and computational modeling
Ashlee Liao

Ashlee Liao

Doctorate

Co-Advisor
Jessica Zhang
Research interests
biorobotics, biomechanics, neural controls
Kuanren Qian

Kuanren Qian

Doctorate

Co-Advisor
Jessica Zhang
Research interests
bioinspired robotics, neuron growth modeling
Saul Schaffer

Saul Schaffer

Doctorate

Research interests
biohybrid actuators, prosthetics, 3D printing, metamaterials
Ravesh Sukhnandan

Ravesh Sukhnandan

Doctorate

Research interests
soft robots, bioinspired robots, muscle mechanics
Avery Williamson

Avery Williamson

Doctorate

Hima Hrithik Pamu

Hima Hrithik Pamu

Masters

Research interests
Soft robotics
Anika Sun

Anika Sun

Masters

Research interests
3D printing, soft robots, mechanical design

Alumni

Ph.D. Alumni

  • Wenhuan Sun (Ph.D., Fall 2022, first position after CMU - Paypal)
  • Kevin Dai (Ph.D., Summer 2023, first position after CMU - Schwartz Center Innovation Commercialization Postdoctoral Fellow)

M.S. Alumni and MS Project Students

  • Gordon Gao (MS, BME)
  • Kathleen Gladson (MS, MechE)
  • Jason Paulovich (MS, BME)
  • Ravesh Sukhnandan (MS, BME)
  • Yu Wang (MS, MechE)
  • Bella Zhang (MS, BME)
  • Jiarui Chang (MS, MechE)

Past and present undergraduate researchers

  1. Jacob Abrams
  2. Nathan Ang
  3. Charli Ann Hooper
  4. Adam Assad
  5. Befeker Assefa
  6. Ryan Bao
  7. Lameck Beni
  8. Anaya Bhammar
  9. Annie Chen
  10. Theophilos Cockrell
  11. Jenna Cui
  12. Anais del Rosario
  13. Abirami Elangovan
  14. Lekha Kesavan
  15. Riti Krishna
  16. Leon Lai
  17. Justin Lam
  18. Janice Lee
  19. Rose Lee
  20. Bajram Metjahic
  21. Nickia Muraskin
  22. Arpita Nag
  23. Fernando Plata
  24. Allison Rojas
  25. Nicole Segale
  26. Gian Seixas
  27. Avani Shukla
  28. Summer Sun
  29. Ian Turner
  30. Emily Wang
  31. Vicki Wang
  32. Karen Whirley
  33. Xochitl Zazueta

Join us

If you are interested in joining the CMU B.O.R.G. please read the appropriate section below.

Undergraduates: Projects are advertised through the MechE newsletter as they are available. Please refer to this information for opportunities to join the lab or email Dr. Webster-Wood with the tag [Undergrad] in the subject if you are interested in whether new projects may be becoming available.

Graduate students: All graduate students (MS or Ph.D.) will only be considered through the official CMU application system. Please apply online. If you are an admitted MS student and would like to learn about available projects please refer to the MS Canvas page or email Dr. Webster-Wood with the tag [MS] in the subject.

Postdocs: We do not currently have any postdoc openings available.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Media mentions

Nature

Webster-Wood talks with Nature about biohybrid robots

MechE’s Victoria Webster-Wood talks with Nature about biohybrid robots. “A biohybrid is really any robot that combines both biological materials and synthetic materials,” she says.

Mechanical Engineering

Webster-Wood named 35 Innovator Under 35

Vickie Webster-Wood has been named one of the 2023 35 Innovators under 35 by MIT Technology Review

CMU Engineering

Branching out: Modeling neurons in new ways

Predicting neuron cell growth just got a little bit easier, thanks to CMU researchers.

CMU Engineering

So tricky, a robot can do it

Carnegie Mellon Researchers have taken inspiration from geckos to create a material that adheres to wet and dry surfaces, even on an incline.

CMU Engineering

2023 Dean’s Early Career Fellows announced

Xi (Charlie) Ren, Victoria Webster-Wood, and Ding Zhao have received the honor for their contributions to their respective fields.

CMU Engineering

Now printing: seaweed-based, biodegradable actuators

We are one step closer to naturally compostable robots now that researchers at Carnegie Mellon can print actuators using a bio-ink made from seaweed.

CMU Engineering

Multi-university team building actuators for next gen bio-bots

Multi-university team, led by Mechanical Engineering’s Vickie Webster-Wood, is building actuators for next generation sustainable bio-bots.

CMU Engineering

Hydrogels pave way for future of soft robotics

Wenhuan Sun, Victoria Webster-Wood, and Adam Feinberg have created an open-source, commercially available fiber extruder to benefit future research with hydrogels and soft robotics.

ICRA 2022

CMU team wins big at robotics conference

MechE’s Victoria Webster-Wood and her team took home a prize for their paper at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

IEEE Spectrum

Bergbreiter, Majidi, and Webster-Wood featured in IEEE Spectrum

MechE’s Carmel Majidi, Sarah Bergbreiter, and Victoria Webster-Wood were featured on IEEE Spectrum, discussing softbotics.

CMU Engineering

Tuning synthetic collagen threads for biohybrid robots

Researchers in Victoria Webster-Wood’s Biohybrid and Organic Robotics Group are using techniques from tissue engineering to refine tendon-like collagen threads for a new generation of robots.

Mechanical Engineering

Biomechanics for teens

National Biomechanics Day is a worldwide celebration that strives to bring the complex world of biomechanics to high school students through hands-on activities, demonstrations, and Q&A sessions with real-world professionals.