Teams – All in One

Living Dynamical Systems

Goals

WILL RETURN FALL 2026
To discover physical principles of how animals move in complex, challenging environments. Use tools from physics, neuroscience, biomechanics, and robotics to extract mechanism of how animal and engineered systems move, especially with respect to stability, agility, and robustness.

Issues Involved or Addressed

Neuromechanics – the physics of movement in the context of the brain and body, robots as physical models to explore locomotion, sensor and device development for small (insect-size) locomoting system, small flapping flight, small legged running, bio-inspired design.

Partners/Sponsors

National Science Foundation, Physics of Living Systems Network

Methods and Technologies

  • High Speed Videography
  • Stability and Maneuverability
  • Robophysics Models
  • Animal Experiments (mostly insects)
  • Physical Modeling
  • Dynamic Systems
  • Neural Recording and Control
  • Controls
  • Experimental Engineering

Majors Sought

Computing: Computational Media, Computer Science

Engineering: Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Liberal Arts: Computational Media

Sciences: Applied Physiology, Biology, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology

Preferred Interests and Preparation

PHYS – Background/interest in dynamic systems, robophysics, biophysics, neuroscience, classical mechanics, active matter, statistical mechanics.
BIOL, BME, BioE, PSYC – Background/interest in neuroscience, biomechanics, animal behavior, locomotion, physiology, biophysics.
MATH – Background/interest in applied math, dynamic systems.
ME, MSE, EE, AE, BioE – Background/interest in robotics, bio-inspired design, neurotechnology, experimental engineering, controls, sensing.
CmpE, CS – Background/interest in controls, machine vision, tracking

Advisor

Simon Sponberg
Simon Sponberg
Sponberg@gatech.edu

Day, Time & Location

Full Team Meeting:
2:00-2:50 Thursday
Howey N209

Subteam meetings scheduled after classes begin.

Apply