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The Drew Research Lab - University of Hawaii at Manoa

The driving goal behind our work is to make insect-scale robots truly useful as tools in industrial, commercial, and personal settings. This means not only overcoming the extreme resource constraints imposed by their scale, but also delivering capabilities that are wholly unique. Our work ties numerical simulation together with cutting-edge microfabrication and meso-scale assembly techniques, exploring novel actuation, communication, and sensing modalities for holistically-designed systems. Sometimes we look to nature for inspiration, like in the design of multifunctional components for acoustic communication; often we look beyond it, like in the creation of silent, solid-state atmospheric ion thrusters for flight. In all cases, energy and payload constraints demand systems designed from the ground up, tightly integrated, and at the bleeding edge of possibility

Announcements

We have openings for new members in the lab. If you are excited about a fully funded PhD, please email Dr. Drew with your CV and some text about your research interests. Prospective undergraduate researchers are strongly recommended to reach out to Dr. Drew and set up a meeting where we can discuss project opportunities and potential for funding.