PhD Research Studentships
Soft Robotic End-effector Capable of Precision Artificial Touch
| Supervisor: | Ketao ZHANG |
| Apply by: | 28 January 2026 |
| Start in: | September (Semester 1) |
Description
The primary motivation of the project is to address labour shortages in the agriculture sector. To address the growing labour concerns and improve productivity in the viticulture subsector, autonomous systems, including mobile manipulators, are already being trialled in the UK farming industry; however, manipulators equipped with conventional grippers lack compliance, limiting their ability to handle fragile and irregularly shaped objects. Soft end-effectors/grippers, however, have demonstrated the ability to grasp a wide variety of objects. In particular, under-actuation is widely used in various designs of dextrous grippers, enabling the end-effector to adapt to object shape with simpler control systems and to precisely measure multi-directional interaction forces. This project will investigate a novel approach to developing underactuated dextrous grippers with variable-stiffness joints and large-area contact-force detection elements to enable precision grasping and manipulation of delicate objects, such as fresh fruits, in viticulture applications. The main tasks of this project include the design and modelling of a multi-fingered soft end-effector with inherent compliance, and the development of smart actuators and contact force measurement elements for precision manipulation in automated systems. By the end of the project, a framework for developing dexterous soft end-effectors capable of precise artificial touch will be established and evaluated with proof-of-concept prototypes.
Funding
Funded by: China Scholarship CouncilCandidate will need to secure a CSC scholarship.
Under the scheme, Queen Mary will provide scholarships to cover all tuition fees, whilst the CSC will provide living expenses and one return flight ticket to successful applicants.
Eligibility
- The minimum requirement for this studentship opportunity is a good honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline.
- If English is not your first language, you will require a valid English certificate equivalent to IELTS 6.5+ overall with a minimum score of minimum score of 6.0 in each of Writing, Listening, Reading and Speaking).
- Candidates are expected to start in September (Semester 1).
Contact
For informal enquiries about this opportunity, please contact Ketao ZHANG.
Apply
Start an application for this studentship and for entry onto the PhD Organ-on-a-Chip Technologies full-time programme (Semester 1 / September start):
Please be sure to quote the reference "SEMS-PHD-688" to associate your application with this studentship opportunity.
| Related website: | https://www.seresearch.qmul.ac.uk/robotics/people/kzhang/ | |
| SEMS Research Centre: | ||
| Keywords: | Artificial Intelligence, Control Systems, Dynamics, Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanics, Mechatronics, Robotics |