Computational Design and Dynamics of Soft Systems credit:

4 Hours

Provides a hands-on introduction to modern modeling and simulations techniques for heterogeneous structures made of assemblies of soft, elastic slender elements. Such systems are ubiquitous in nature, from animal musculoskeletal architectures to 'birds-nest' composite materials. They are also becoming increasingly relevant in robotics. Students will implement in python their own Cosserat rods-based solver. The developed solver will be then coupled with evolutionary optimization techniques for design, and reinforcement learning for control. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: CS 101 OR CS 125 ; MATH 415 .