Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Stephanie J. Woodman is pioneering the frontier of soft robotics, where machines stretch, morph, and even self-amputate to achieve unprecedented adaptability. Her research centers on embedding stretchable computation, magnetic actuation, and variable stiffness directly into soft robotic bodies. Woodman’s landmark work introduced “Stretchable Arduinos” (2024, 66 citations), enabling soft robots to carry out decision-making computations without rigid electronics—a critical step toward autonomous, real-world functionality. She also developed magnetorheological fluid-based flow control (2020, 43 citations), allowing precise actuation without bulky external pressure sources, and created an electromagnetic soft robot that carries its own magnet (2022, 12 citations), liberating these systems from laboratory-bound external fields. Her stretchable shape-sensing sheets (2023, 14 citations) overcome traditional strain-sensor limitations during buckling and material aging. Most strikingly, Woodman explores self-amputating and interfusing machines (2024, 9 citations), drawing inspiration from biological autotomy to enable robots to shed or fuse body parts for adaptive survival. With over 160 total citations and a growing portfolio of patents, Woodman’s work is reshaping how we think about robot morphology, computation, and resilience—paving the way for soft robots that can truly navigate the unpredictable, unstructured world.