The Smart Materials and Robotics Laboratory is an interdisciplinary research lab within the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. We are creating new soft multifunctional materials that are safe for human interaction and exhibit unique combinations of electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. These efforts lie in the emerging fields of wearable computing, soft robotics, and robotic materials.

Direct Ink Write 3D Printing of Fully Dense and Functionally Graded Liquid Metal Elastomer Foams
Advanced Functional Materials, 2024
Designing Liquid Metal Microstructures Through Directed Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing, 2024
Acoustic Properties of Stretchable Liquid Metal-Elastomer Composites for Matching Layers in Wearable Ultrasonic Transducer Arrays
Advanced Functional Materials, 2023
Metamaterial Adhesives for Programmable Adhesion through Reverse Crack Propagation
Nature Materials, 2023
Design of a Wearable Ultrasound Patch with Soft and Conformal Matching Layer
ASME Frontiers in Biomedical Devices, 2023
Updated Perspectives on the Role of Biomechanics in COPD: Considerations for the Clinician
International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 2022
Octopus-Inspired Adhesive Skins for Intelligent and Rapidly Switchable Underwater Adhesion
Science Advances, 2022
Wireless, Battery Free Wearable Electronic Nose
ASME Frontiers in Biomedical Devices, 2022
Fully Untethered and Stretchable Wearable Electronic Bandage for Measuring Knee Motion
ASME Frontiers in Biomedical Devices, 2022
On Demand Programming of Liquid Metal-Composite Microstructures through Direct Ink Write 3D Printing
Advanced Materials, 2022
Lightweight, Thermally Conductive Liquid Metal Elastomer Composite with Independently Controllable Thermal Conductivity and Density
Small, 2021

RECENT NEWS

2024-

September-
Our research receives support from the National Institute of Health's National Center For Complementary & Integrative Health (R01AT013148) to create and validate a multimodal physiologically based passive monitoring system to monitor and improve whole person health. The project is in collaboration with Profs. Stephen Rennard (UNMC), Ran Dai (UNMC), Kathryn Cooper (UNO), and Jenna Yentes (Texas A&M).
August-
Prof. Markvicka has been named a Peter Kiewit Foundation Engineering Academy (PKFEA) Faculty Fellow.
August-
Our research receives support from NASA Nebraska Space Grant.
August-
Congratulations to Spencer Pak and Patrick McManigal for receiving a NASA Nebraska Space Grant Fellowship to support their research projects.
July-
We have received a planning grant as part of the Grand Challenges initiative. The team is led by Prof. Sina Balkir.
July-
Prof. Markvicka has been named the Robert F. and Myrna L. Krohn Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering.
June-
Our research receives support from the NASA EPSCoR Rapid Response Research (R3) program.
May-
Our work on an electronic nose, led by PhD student Patrick McManigal, was featured on KOLN | 10/11 Nebraska Local News.
May-
Congratulations to Peter Lux, Grace Fredrickson, Calivn Cuddy, Faith Peterson, and Alyssa Carlson for receiving summer 2024 and/or 2024-2025 academic year UCARE funding.
April-
Prof. Markvicka gave an invited talk at the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Pierson Graduate Seminar series.
April-
Prof. Markvicka has been named an American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Rising Star of Mechanical Engineering.
April-
Undergraduate student Wil Fiddelke was selected to present his research at the Research at the Nebraska Governors Mansion poster session. Nebraska Today article.
April-
Congratulations to Patrick McManigal for winning first place at the College of Engineering pitch competition. Nebraska Today article.
April-
Prof. Markvicka co-organized the 2024 College of Engineering Pitch Competition (3 grad teams & 5 undergrad teams; $5,500 Purse)
March-
Prof. Markvicka gave an invited talk at the Heartland Robotics Cluster seminar series.
March-
Prof. Markvicka has received the 2024 College of Engineering Edgerton Innovation Award.
March-
Prof. Markvicka has received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award to establish a scalable manufacturing approach for creating solid particle-liquid metal mixtures for applications in soft robotics and stretchable electronics. Nebraska Today article.
February-
Prof. Markvicka hosted an outreach event at Prairieview Preschool on additive manufacturing and plastic waste.

We are grateful for the support from the following organizations:

  • We also acknowledge support from the Nebraska Tobacco Settlement Biomedical Research Development Fund, our industry partners, and the Don Voelte and Nancy Keegan bioengineering support fund.


    © 2018 Smart Materials and Robotics Laboratory