LMTS: Soft Transducers Lab (Prof. H. Shea)

Introduction to the LMTS

We develop reliable soft stretchable compliant actuators, sensors and transducers. Our research cuts across different miniaturized actuator technologies, with a primary focus on elastomer-based solutions and multi-functional stretchable materials. We are part of the EPFL Institute of Mechanical Engineering.

Our core research areas are:

  • Miniaturized polymer actuators and soft transducers for a broad range of applications including soft robotics, dextrous manipulation, microfluidics and tunable optics. 
  • Wearable Haptic displays for VR/AR applications and for visually impaired users, allowing dynamic graphical information such as maps or virtual 3D shapes to be explored using one’s sense of touch.
  • MEMS and Printed Microsystems. (Dr. D. Briand, MER) Environmentally-conscious MEMS processes and applications, digital & additive manufacturing of smart systems, sustainable electronic & sensor technologies, 3D structural electronics, transient ecoresorbable & bioresorbable microsystems.

News

Our Fiber Pump was published in Science (30 March 2023). Congrats to Mike!
Congrats to Giulio for his printed HAXELs that wer published 2-2023 in Advanced Functional Materials
With Prof Anne Skov (DTU) and Prof Neel Joshi (Northeastern), Prof Shea was awarded in 6-2022 a 7 M€ funding from the Novo Nordisk Fonden to develop wearable exoskeletons.
Bekir’s work on stretchable force sensors published in 8-2022 in  Nature Communications!
   
   

Contact info:

Mailing address:

EPFL-LMTS
rue de la Maladière 71b, CP 526
CH-2002 Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Head of Lab: Prof. Herbert Shea, Phone +41 21 693 6663

Admin: Mrs. Myriam Poliero Phone: +41 21 695 4436

How to find us: Our lab is part of the Neuchatel campus of the EPFL-IMT. 15 minute walk from the Neuchatel train station.