Anand Kumar  Mishra

Welcome to my website

I am a Research Associate in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University, where I lead pioneering, multidisciplinary research at the forefront of 3D-printed soft robotics, biomimetics, biohybrid systems, and soft manipulation and sensing. My work explores the vital intersections of biology and robotics, advancing technologies with transformative applications in agriculture, space exploration, and healthcare. By bridging these advanced fields, I am committed to addressing fundamental questions in robotics and shaping the next generation of robots designed to meet our evolving societal needs.

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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. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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


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 spans three primary areas: biomimetic and biohybrid robotics, robotic manufacturing, and the engineering of living materials, all aimed at creating lifelike robots. I am dedicated to leveraging fundamental biological principles to emulate the morphology, behaviors, and materials found in nature, transforming these insights into practical and functional robotic designs. By navigating the complexities of replicating nature's intricacies, my work focuses on integrating non-animal multicellular organisms with synthetic structures, with an emphasis on developing living sensors and biohybrid systems. Ultimately, my goal is to push the boundaries of soft robotics, providing 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 

Space

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
 
Story from CROPPS : High schoolers investigate programmable plants

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