SBIR-STTR Award

The US Department of the Navy (DON) has recently identified Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) as an emerging technology necessary to the Navy mission. Bio-inspired swimming robots have shown promise in a wide range of applications due to their efficiency, speed, and stealth capability. To prepare our workforce for the UUV technologies of tomorrow, we need to ensure that unique aspects of bio-inspired robotssoft actuators, flexible materials, waterproofing, sensing/controls, periodic motionare introduced to students throughout their traditional education. We propose a Student-focused Holistic Aquatic Robotics Kit (SHARK) to teach students the unique aspects of aquatic robot design through establishing a research-based design strategy and modern scientific standards for learning objectives. The SHARK will provide groups of K-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th grade students with instructional robot builds and the materials for an annual national soft-robotics competition.

Benefit:
The SHARK will serve as a UUV learning tool for K-12 students. It will teach them the key STEM aspects of underwater vehicles. Ultimately, this will benefit DoD, especially the Navy in terms of workforce, research, and technology development.

Keywords:
Educational Kit, Educational Kit, Workforce Development Tool, Autonomy, stem, K-12, Aquatic Soft Robots

Bio-inspired swimming robots have shown promise in a wide range of applications due to their efficiency, speed, and stealth capability. To prepare our workforce for the Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUV) technologies of tomorrow, we need to ensure that unique aspects of bio-inspired Navy specific robotssoft actuators, flexible materials, waterproofing, sensing/controls, periodic motionare introduced to students throughout their education. Here, Spectral Energies, LLC (SE) and its academic partners at the University of Delaware (UD) propose to continue development of their Student-focused Holistic Aquatic Robotics Kit (SHARK) and its supporting K-12 curriculum to teach students the unique aspects of aquatic robot design through establishing a research-based design strategy and modern scientific standards for learning objectives, culminating in an annual soft-robotics competition. During Phase I, the team developed three soft robotic designs that can be built using SHARK to teach age-appropriate concepts in a hands-on manner. In addition, SHARK was provided to older students to access the creativity and ability to build a robot that can complete Navy relevant mission. During Phase II, SE will continue to develop SHARK, increase the number of lessons plans for each build, scale-up the manufacturing of SHARK, perform learning assessments, and distributed SHARK to a subset of local schools.

Benefit:
SE will provide a STEM education toolkit that will teach K-12 student about soft robotics and Naval engineering concepts. This will help train the future work force and prepare them for careers in STEM, with a focus on Naval engineering. Providing a hands-on, interactive, and fun tool such as SHARK, will help student enjoy STEM and increase their consideration of a career in STEM. This will help increase the number of US citizen in the STEM profession.

Keywords:
Bio-Inspired, soft robotics, K-12 STEM Education