Laura Blumenschein

Laura Blumenschein is an Assistant Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, based in West Lafayette, Indiana. She leads the RAAD Lab and focuses on soft robotics, bioinspired systems, and wearable haptic technologies. Her work integrates principles from mechanical engineering, material science, and human-machine interaction to develop innovative robotic systems.

Blumenschein holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University (2019), an M.S. and B.S. from Rice University (2016 and 2015). Her research emphasizes soft growing robots, haptic feedback systems, and robotic navigation strategies, with applications in biomedical engineering and search-and-rescue operations.

Her research interests include:

• Design of soft, deployable robotic structures
• Haptic communication through wearable devices
• Modeling and control of bioinspired actuation systems
• Robot-human collaboration in dynamic environments

Notable achievements include the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2015-2019) and the Alan J. Chapman Award. Her publications span topics like soft robot retraction mechanics, modular haptic displays, and collaborative robotics strategies.

Blumenschein's work bridges fundamental robotics research with practical applications, including deployable antennas, wearable resistance devices, and heterogeneous robot teams for search-and-rescue scenarios. Her lab actively explores both theoretical models and experimental prototypes.