Dr Daniel J. PRESTON

Assistant Professor

Rice University

djp@rice.edu
Energy, Materials, Fluids & Fluid Mechanics

Biography

Dr Daniel J. Preston directs the Preston Innovation Laboratory at Rice University conducting research at the intersection of energy, materials, and fluids. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, the ASME Old Guard Early Career Award, and the Energy Polymer Group Certificate of Excellence. His recent work has been published in PNAS, Advanced Intelligent Systems, Advanced Materials Technologies, ACS Nano, and Science Robotics. His lab is funded by NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy, among other sources. Dr. Preston earned his B.S. (2012) in mechanical engineering from the University of Alabama and his M.S. (2014) and Ph.D. (2017) in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Following his graduate degrees, he trained as a postdoctoral fellow from 2017–2019 at Harvard University in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology prior to joining Rice University as an assistant professor in July 2019.

Textile-Based Fluidic Control and Energy Harvesting for Wearable Robots

Abstract

When incorporated into wearable devices, soft robotic actuators enable assistive, rehabilitative, and even superhuman capabilities while offering advantages over hard exoskeletons including light weight and safe and comfortable operation in close contact with wearers. Although fluidic soft robotic actuators are intrinsically compliant, they currently rely on bulky and hard supporting components—specifically, control systems and power supplies—which increase weight and decrease comfort and usability when integrated into wearable devices, or alternatively require cumbersome tethers to external infrastructure. To address this problem and enable “smart” wearable robots, we have developed completely soft fluidic digital logic components fabricated entirely from textiles. Our functionally complete fluidic logic platform enables integrated memory, decision making, and the ability to interact with and adapt to stimuli and the environment, all without the use of rigid valves or electronic components. Meanwhile, we address limitations in power delivery, which often requires a tether to an external power source or a hard, heavy onboard source, by developing “self-powered” wearable robots that harvest energy from motion of the human body. The integration of fluidic control and energy harvesting in textile architectures represents an important step toward fully soft, self-sufficient wearable robots that are as comfortable, resilient, and practical as everyday clothing.

Invited Speakers