Research

Insect-machine hybrid robots or Cyborg insects

We focus on developing novel robotic platforms by fusing miniature control backpacks with living insects that enable agile locomotion at low cost and low energy consumption while bypassing traditional design and manufacturing processes and complex control systems. Insects have fascinating body structures consisting of soft actuators (muscles), a rigid exoskeleton, compliant joints, integrated/embedded proprioceptors and environmental sensors, and a tiny but powerful internal control system (central nervous system). This great combination allows the insect to easily adapt to walking, running and climbing in any complex terrain. Due to their small size, cyborg insects would be able to pass through small cavities of collapsed buildings, making them strong candidates for search and rescue applications.

Biomechanics of insect locomotion

We are interested in studying insect locomotion from walking to flying and jumping. Wireless electrical stimulators and extracellular recorders has been developed to investigate the real function of individual flight muscles in untethered condition while fast lock-on tracking devices has been developed to obtain high magnification images of insect’s postures from long distance. Several motion tracking systems and software have been used to obtain and analyse insect’s locomotion. These technologies allow us to investigate naturalistic behaviours of the insects which would help address interesting biology questions around biomechanics of insect locomotion.

Bio-inspired robotics

to be updated

Fast lock-on tracking

We would like to use high-resolution videos of insects to uncover their fascinating secrets. These videos would help us to explore topics like insect flight aerodynamics, how they move their heads to see, adjust their antennae for scent detection, and the biomechanics of their jumps, walks, and runs. Until now, these investigations were limited to small regions captured by fixed cameras, covering only a few centimeters. However, as anyone who has observed a grasshopper’s leaps and landings or insect flights knows, captivating insect behaviours occur across much larger spaces. Our fast lock-on tracking approach now allows high-resolution videos of insects across expansive areas by using a roboticized telephoto camera.

Brain imaging

to be updated

Electro-nanoparticle catalyst

to be updated

Acknowledgement
Huge appreciation to H. Duoc Nguyen, Nils Wenke, Anna Titova, Viktor Titov, V. Than Dung, P. Thanh Tran-Ngoc, Parkzan Tan, Melvin Tan, Cao Feng, Yao Li, Desmond Tan, Kee Chun Poon, T. Luan Nguyen, D. Long Le, Michael Harrap, Stephan Lochner, X. Hien Bui, Ferdinandus, Prof. Madoka Suzuki, Hiroyuki Iwamoto-sensei, Prof. Satoshi Arai, and Prof. Toshinori Fujie for their collaborations and supports.
Special thanks to my former mentors Prof. Hirotaka Sato, Prof. Andrew Straw, Prof. H. Hoang Pham, and Prof. Haibin Su for their great mentorship and continuous supports.
Thanks Thanh Nho Do, Hoang-Phuong Phan, Prof. Pauline Pounds, Prof. Mandyam Srinivasan, and Prof. Ross McAree for the huge support and collaborations.
I am grateful for the supports of the following institutes and funding agencies from the very beginning of my academic career.