PARTICIPANT HIGHLIGHT – Rudy Montayre – 2017 PROGRAM
Rudy Montayre, a rising junior in the University of Georgia College of Engineering, is exploring the possibility of using force-sensing soft robots for medical procedures. He’s conducting the research this summer as a participant in our Nanotechnology and Biomedicine Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.
“The idea is that we would have three or more soft robots controlled by pneumatics that could be combined like building blocks to produce multiple degrees of freedom and movement,” said Rudy. “During endoscopic procedures, these soft robot devices would be less likely to cause harm to the body.”
During the 10-week REU program, Rudy has been working with prototypes and collecting data to determine how the devices will perform in the 3D space.
“Doing research nearly full-time is very different because you’re thinking about it inside and outside the lab,” said Rudy, who plans to pursue a graduate degree in engineering. “I wish I had done something like this REU earlier. It’s interesting to compare notes with students from other universities and talk about different aspects of nanotechnology.”
