Connor McCann

Connor McCann is an Assistant Professor in the Robotics Engineering department at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). He leads the PRiSM Lab, which focuses on hybrid-stiffness mechanisms blending rigid and soft robotics to enhance robotic capabilities. His work integrates first-principles modeling with application-driven design for areas like robotic grasping, wearable robotics, and bioinspired systems.

Education: Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Harvard University (2025, 2021), and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University (2018).

Research interests include the mechanics of rigid-soft material interactions, soft wearable robotics, bioinspired systems, and robotic manipulation. His lab emphasizes translating mechanical principles into functional prototypes for real-world applications.

Key research trends in his articles include advancements in wearable robotics for industrial/medical use, aerodynamic control via textile metamaterials, and autonomous robotic exploration using low-cost hardware. His work bridges material science and robotics to create adaptive, high-performance systems.

Labs/Teams: Director of the PRiSM Lab at WPI, focused on rigid-soft robotics innovation.