September 29, 2022
2022-09-29T19:00:00
66 Leavitt Street
Hingham, MA 02043
Reference Desk: 781-741-1405 x1404
Lenore Rasmussen presents: "Smart Materials: Considerations on Earth and in Space"
Thursday, September 29, 2022
In anticipation of deep space travel, new materials are being explored to assist and relieve humans in dangerous environments on Earth and in space, such as high radiation, extreme temperature, extreme pressure, and in environments with contagious agents that have no cure. Local Hingham resident and author Lenore Rasmussen will talk about her new book
Smart Materials: Considerations on Earth and in Space, the exciting work she did with NASA in the field of smart materials, and her current work developing Tactile Fingertips™ for robots and Synthetic Muscle™. A smart material is a substance that responds to a stimulus, such as electricity, light, pressure, moisture, magnetism, or temperature.
This event will be held in person at the Library. To join us,
please register online.
This is a potential asset to manned space travel through protective gear and human assist robots and for unmanned space exploration through deep space. Recently developed is the Tactile Fingertip™, an extremely sensitive yet robust soft sensor, that brings human-like tactile touch to robots. Human grasp is gentle yet firm at the same time, with near instant feedback. Tactile Fingertips are designed to replicate (and surpass!) human grasp. These sensors feel like human fingertips. Smart material technology will allow humans - on Earth and in space - "to boldly go where no one has gone before,” in areas of research and development, and aiding survival on Earth and in space, in ventures like the ISS National Laboratory, the planned Moon base, the anticipated Mars settlements, and beyond. Dr. Rasmussen will even bring a Tactile Fingertip and a protective cage that was used in the NASA-flown space experiment!
Lenore Rasmussen, PhD is the CTO and Founder of Ras Labs, Inc., which makes Tactile Fingertips™ and Synthetic Muscle™. She is also an adjunct professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Department.