Research

My research bridges biology, materials science, and robotics — asking how nature's functional composites can inform the next generation of soft-rigid robotic structures and wearable technology. My research vision is the BIMS Lab (Bio-Inspired Meta-Structures), which will pursue this through three interconnected aims spanning Dynamics & Controls, Solid Mechanics, and Applied Physics.

Aim 1: Characterizing Biological Composites Across Length Scales

Keratin- and collagen-based materials — whiskers, skin, horn, hoof — achieve remarkable mechanical performance through structure that spans from the nanoscale to the whole organ. Schulz's work uses techniques including second harmonic generation imaging, nanoindentation, and electron microscopy to map how these materials are graded and organized, and what that structure buys the animal functionally.

Aim 2: Bridging Soft and Rigid Robotics with Bio-Inspired Meta-Structures

Most robots are built from either soft, compliant materials or rigid, precise ones — rarely both at once, the way biological tissue is. This aim translates the structural principles found in Aim 1 into synthetic meta-structures that combine the adaptability of soft robotics with the load-bearing strength of rigid systems, closing a persistent gap in robotic design.

Aim 3: Wearable Healthcare Devices and Human-Robot Interaction

The same graded, functionally tuned materials that make biological tissue effective sensors and actuators can inform wearable devices for health monitoring and human-robot interfaces. This aim applies bio-inspired material design to sensing and haptic technologies intended for direct human use.