The 4th edition of this International Workshop on Active Matter for Soft Robotics was organized by ULB in Brussels, during the week of 21-23 November 2023 .
In the past decade, active matter, especially organic mechanical materials such as crystals and polymers that can move macroscopically by external stimuli, such as light, heat, electricity and others, have been intensively studied in materials chemistry. Many mechanically responsive materials have been developed at this time, and widely introduced as soft sensors or actuators. Such the mechanical materials that move autonomously by external stimuli might be promising as a new kind of materials for soft robots with improved safety and comfort and also microrobots to work in bioscience fields.
This workshop aimed at gathering physicists, chemists, and robotic engineers developing such “active matter”, either polymer with active architecture, or active particles to be incorporated towards polymers functionalization. Soft robots will be the best application of the mechanically responsive active matter, and the detailed discussion for the novel research and its application to soft robotics and microrobots has been conducted in the international workshop.
This workshop opened and promoted a new international collaboration with active researchers from different fields to focus on the research of active matter for soft robotics.
Program
Venue
Tuesday 21 nov – From 12:00, meeting in the room called “Salle des Professeurs”, UA4-118, entrance from Gate UA2, located in the square Groupe G of the ULB Solbosch Campus (blue building, on the right side of the map https://www.ulb.be/en/maps-directions/solbosch)
At 19:30, restaurant “Chou de Bruxelles, Rue de florence 26 – 1050 Bruxelles, https://www.lechoudebruxelles.be/en/
Wednesday 22 nov – Meeting at 8:00 (bus departure at 8:15am), Avenue Antoine Depage 30, 1000 Bruxelles (ULB Solbosch Campus). Arrival at 31 Boulevard DOLEZ – 7000 Mons (Salle Macquet, 1st floor)
Working meeting in Mons University, https://web.umons.ac.be/smpc/en/home/
Dinner Restaurant Oscar, Rue de Nimy, 14 – 7000 Mons
Thursday 23 nov – Welcome coffee and meeting in the “Salle des Professeurs” (same as Tuesday)