Anand Kumar  Mishra

Welcome to my website

I am currently a Research Associate at Cornell University's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, where I specialize in multidisciplinary research. My expertise spans several cutting-edge fields including robotics in digital biology, biomimetics, biohybrid systems, and soft manipulation & sensing. These interconnected domains are integral to my work, driving innovation and practical applications, especially in agriculture and healthcare robotics.

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Selected Publications

For the full list of publications is here: Publications 

1. Mishra, A.K., Kim, J., Baghdadi, H., Johnson, B.R., Hodge, K.T. and Shepherd, R.F., 2024. Sensorimotor control of robots mediated by electrophysiological measurements of fungal mycelia. Science Robotics, 9(93), p.eadk8019. https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.adk8019

2. Mishra, A.K., Russo, N.E., An, H.S., Zekios, C.L., Georgakopoulos, S.V. and Shepherd, R.F., 2024. Robotic Antennas Using Liquid Metal Origami. Advanced Intelligent Systems, p.2400190. https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202400190

3. Bacheva, V., Madison, I., Baldwin, M., Beilstein, M., Call, D.F., Deaver, J.A., Efimenko, K., Genzer, J., Grieger, K., Gu, A.Z. and Ilman, M.M., 2024. Transdisciplinary collaborations for advancing sustainable and resilient agricultural systems. arXiv preprint arXiv:2409.12337.  https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2409.12337

4. Mishra, A.K.*, Wallin, T.J.*, Pan, W., Xu, P., Wang, K., Giannelis, E.P., Mazzolai, B., and Shepherd, R.F., 2020. Autonomic perspiration in 3D-printed hydrogel actuators. Science Robotics, 5(38). https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aaz3918

5. Mishra, A.K., Pan, W., Giannelis, E.P., Shepherd, R.F. and Wallin, T.J., 2021. Making bioinspired 3D-printed autonomic perspiring hydrogel actuators. Nature Protocols, pp.1-20. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41596-020-00484-z

6. Peretz, O., Mishra, A.K., Shepherd, R.F. and Gat, A.D., 2020. Underactuated fluidic control of a continuous multistable membrane. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 117(10), pp.5217-5221. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1919738117

7. Fiorello, I., Tricinci, O., Naselli, G.A., Mondini, A., Filippeschi, C., Tramacere, F., Mishra, A.K. and Mazzolai, B., 2020. Climbing Plant‐Inspired Micropatterned Devices for Reversible Attachment. Advanced Functional Materials, p.2003380. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202003380

8. Xu, P.A., Mishra, A.K., Bai, H., Aubin, C.A., Zullo, L. and Shepherd, R.F., 2019. Optical lace for synthetic afferent neural networks. Science Robotics, 4(34). https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aaw6304

9. Mishra, A.K., Tramacere, F., Guarino, R., Pugno, N.M., and Mazzolai, B., 2018. A study on plant root apex morphology as a model for soft robots moving in soil. Plos One, 13(6), p.e0197411. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0197411

10. Mishra, A.K., Del Dottore, E., Sadeghi, A., Mondini, A. and Mazzolai, B., 2017. SIMBA: Tendon-Driven Modular continuum arm with the soft reconfigurable gripper. Frontiers in Robotics and A.I., 4, p.4. https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2017.00004

Research Thrusts

My research intersects three primary areas: biomimetics, soft manipulation and sensing, and biohybrid robotics, all aimed at developing lifelike robots. I am committed to utilizing fundamental biological principles to emulate the morphology, behaviors, and materials observed in nature, adapting them to practical form factors. Navigating the complex challenges of replicating nature's intricacies, my work delves into the integration of non-animal multicellular organisms with synthetic structures, focusing on the development of living sensors and robotics. My ultimate goal is to advance the field of soft robotics, offering innovative solutions to critical challenges in healthcare, agriculture, subterranean exploration, and more

Research Impacts

My overarching goal is to leverage robotics technology to make a meaningful impact in three pivotal domains: environment, agriculture, and healthcare. I am deeply committed to developing robotics solutions that benefit society in tangible ways. For instance, I aspire to create robotic manipulation and sensing solutions that operate across various scales. This encompasses small-scale applications, such as robotic assistance in intricate human surgeries, and large-scale solutions for efficient fruit harvesting and precise environmental sensing. By harnessing the power of robotics in these diverse areas, I aim to drive positive change and enhance the well-being of individuals and our planet.

Agricultural 

Environmental 

Healthcare 

Shepherd's Group

Postdoc Advisor 

Mazzolai's Group

PhD Advisor 

News

Podcast: A fungus-driven robot, counting snow crabs, and a book on climate capitalism

Spotlights
: by Graduate School and Next-Gen Professors Program by Cornell University

Watch this fungus control a robot

Robot controlled by a king oyster mushroom blends living organisms and machines

CNN

Sweating Robot Beats the Heat

This robot hand can ‘sweat’ to stay cool

CNN

Nerve-like 'optical lace' gives robots a human touch

Worm-like, soil-swimming robots to measure crop underworld