Lilian Hsiao

Bioinspired Transport Phenomena for Haptic Interfaces

Lilian Hsiao 
Associate Professor
Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University

Abstract:
In the animal kingdom, there are many examples of surfaces that can effectively control friction, even in extreme environments where high shear rates and complex fluids are present. This talk focuses on the fundamental interfacial principles that can be used to engineer the sliding friction at haptic interfaces. The first example is the use of surface patterns to separate length scales in lubricated flows, which is applicable even to real-world systems in soft robotics and tactile sensing. The second example is the incorporation of fatty amide organic molecules that form slip planes at the interface, such as that between human skin and nonwoven textiles. These materials generate triboelectric power when tapped, where the slip additives serve as a crucial gateway between charge carrying efficiency and human haptic sensation.

Bio:
Lilian Hsiao is an associate professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008, her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2014, and postdoctoral  training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Patrick Doyle. Her group specializes on experimental soft matter mechanics, with applications in haptic engineering, computer vision in 3D printing, and high throughput formulation screening. Recent work from her group has been recognized through the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, Sloan Research Fellowship, ACS Unilever Award for Outstanding Young Investigator in Soft Matter, NSF CAREER award, and AAAS Mason Award.