应冲击与安全工程教育部重点实验室邀请，美国麻省理工学院(MIT)机械工程系的赵选贺教授于2018年11月20日在绣山工程楼208会议室给老师和同学们做了题为“Merging Human and Machine with Soft-Materials Technology”的学术报告。
赵选贺博士主要向各位师生介绍了其研究团队在人机融合软材料技术方面的丰富和领先的研究成果。在报告中，赵博士将首先介绍了如何采用力学理论和方法设计具有极端特性的柔软材料。赵博士表示，坚韧、弹性、粘合性、坚固性和柔软性抗疲劳都是制备人机结合的材料所应具备的基本特性。赵博士还通过PPT向在场的老师同学们展示了他们团队的一些研究成果：通过简单的化学原理可以将柔性材料很好的粘结在基体上，且具有超过人体原有组织的强度；将水凝胶制成的神经探针先通过脱水使其能够插入仿脑部组织，然后通过吸收组织中的液体快速恢复其含水量，以此减少因脑部运动引起的植入探针对脑部的损伤；还有为经常忘记按时服药人士所设计的可以长期停驻在人体胃部的药丸等。赵博士还带了一个柔性的，通过3D打印机制造的小机器人，让同学们现场感受了科技的魅力。赵博士表示，力学知识是贯穿在他的研究中的，运用力学的思维，通过学科间的相互交流，可以解决许多大大小小的实际问题。最后赵选贺博士提出一种基于软材料技术的下一代人机接口系统设计方法。赵博士也在现场展示了他们实验室准备的一些材料样品。
赵选贺教授的报告吸引了很多学院的师生前来参加，报告厅里座无虚席，观众对他的介绍反应热烈，不时有深入的讨论和问题。这次报告也吸引了学校之外的许多听众，反映了大家对赵教授的研究工作的高度关注。
最近几年，可穿戴电子的研究热引发了大家对软物质的高度关注，在宁波开始有不少的研究人员在这一领域开展工作。在近期启动的宁波市 “智能制造2025”，也有一些可穿戴电子和软物质的研究项目入选。宁波的一些企业也开始和国际上著名的研究机构合作，开展产业化研究。赵选贺教授的来访，有助于开拓宁波大学研究人员的视野，加强与MIT等国际著名研究机构的联系，推动在软物质和可穿戴电子方面的深入研究。
Invited by the Key Laboratory of Impact and Safety Engineering, Ministry of Education, Dr. Xuanhe Zhao, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), presented a talk entitled "Merging Human and Machine with Soft-Materials Technology" to a broad audience of researchers and graduate students on November 20, 2018.
Dr. Xuanhe Zhao introduced recent works by his group on the soft active materials technology on merging human and machine. In this presentation, Dr. Zhao discussed the mechanics in designing extreme properties for soft materials, including toughness, resilience, adhesion, strength and fatigue, which are necessary for reliable and robust human-machine interfaces. Then Dr. Zhao showed some of his team's research results with colorful through PPT: flexible materials can be well bonded to the matrix by using the simple chemical method, and have strength beyond the original organization of the human body; neuroprobes made of hydrogel can be inserted into the brain by dehydration. The water is restored by absorbing the liquid in the tissue, so as to reduce brain damage caused by movement of the implanted probes; there are pills designed for people who often forget to take medicine on time and can be stationed in the stomach for a long time, etc. Dr. Zhao also brought a small flexible robot made by a 3D printer, which made students feel the charm of science and technology on the spot. According to Dr. Zhao, the basic knowledge of mechanics is dominant in his research. Many practical problems can be solved by using the knowledge of mechanics. Finally, Dr. Zhao Xuanhe proposed a design method of the next generation of human-machine interface system based on soft material technology.
In recent years, wearable electronics has been a hot area with extensive interests from industry including Ningbo’s apparel and garment sector. There are some research groups with ongoing efforts on soft materials and wearable electronics in Ningbo including Ningbo University. Professor Zhao and his collaborators have received attentions by many in Ningbo. His talk and discussions will give some new ideas and dimensions to current research work in Ningbo University, establish closer relation with MIT, and promote advanced research on wearable electronics.
