Prof. Matia Yoav
Assistant Professor
Materials Science & Mechanical Engineering
Director of AUTOnomous MATErials Lab (AUTOMATE Lab)
Research Interest
Soft Robotics, Fluid-Structure Interactions, Fluid Dynamics
My research focuses on the interdisciplinary field of fluid-structure interactions, where interplay between fluid dynamics and solid mechanics in a host of non-linear transient phenomena governing the physics of the system. I aim to provide predictive analytic models, rationale to physical observations and insight into the mechanisms at play behind natural occurring phenomena. In my work I provide balance of theoretical modeling, experimental illustrations and numerical simulations to promote and enlighten design and technologies.
Published Work
Literary Accomplishments
Matia, Y., Kaiser, G. H., Shepherd, R. F., Gat, A. D., Lazarus, N., & Petersen, K. H. "Harnessing Nonuniform Pressure Distributions in Soft Robotic Actuators." Advanced Intelligent Systems (2022): 2200330. Received inner-cover in respective issue.
Matia, Y., An, H. S., Shepherd, R. F., & Lazarus, N. "Magnetohydrodynamic levitation for high-performance flexible pumps." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119.29 (2022): e2203116119. Elected as Highlight in respective issue.
Liu, Z., Pan, W., Wang, K., Matia, Y., Xu, A., Barreiros, J. A., ... & Wallin, T. J. "Acoustophoretic Liquefaction for 3D Printing Ultrahigh‐Viscosity Nanoparticle Suspensions." Advanced Materials 34.7 (2022): 2106183.
Kuperman, S., Ronen, R., Matia, Y., Zigelman, A., Suss, M. E., & Gat, A. D. "Modelling the fluid mechanics in single-flow batteries with an adjacent channel for improved reactant transport." Flow 2 (2022).
Matia, Y., & Gat, A. D. " Dynamics of Fluid Driven Autonomous Materials: Interconnected Fluid Filled Cavities to Realize Autonomous Materials ". arXiv:1812.08717, (2021).
Breitman, P., Matia, Y., & Gat, A. D. "Fluid mechanics of pneumatic soft robots." Soft Robotics (2020).
Matia, Y., Elimelech, T., & Gat, A. D. "Leveraging internal viscous flow to extend the capabilities of beam-shaped soft robotic actuators." Soft Robotics 4.2 (2017): 126-134. Elected as Highlight in respective issue.
Matia, Y., & Gat, A. D. "Dynamics of elastic beams with embedded fluid-filled parallel-channel networks." Soft robotics 2.1 (2015): 42-47.
Honors and Awards
2020-2022
Army Research Laboratory Research Associate Program Fellow.
2019-2021
Zuckerman STEM Leadership Postdoctoral Research Fellow.
2019-2021
The Royal Society, Newton International Research Fellow.
2020
Pnueli Award, in recognition of the best doctoral research conducted at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion-IIT.
2018
Faculty Excellence in Research Award, Technion-IIT.
2016-2018
Ministry of Science, Technology and Space Award, Technion – IIT.
2016
Technion award for excellence in teaching (as a T.A.).
2015
Hershel Rich Technion Innovation Award, Technion-IIT.
2014
KLA-TENCOR Excellence In Research Award, Technion-IIT.
2014
Tark Award For Research Of Aerospace Structures, Technion-IIT.
Degrees
Ph.D.
2019
Mechanical engineering, Technion - Israel institute of technology.
(With Distinction, Pnueli Award, in recognition of the best doctoral research conducted at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.)
M.Sc.
Mechanical engineering, Technion - Israel institute of technology.
2014
B.Sc.
2010
Mechanical engineering, Afeka Tel Aviv Academic College of Engineering (Cum Laude).
Video Media
Following insights from our predictive model, we categorize five dominant mechanisms and demonstrate their influence in practice on both individual actuators and as part of a six-legged, untethered walking robot.
An elastomeric pump maintains pressure, flow rate under large-scale deformation. Paradoxically The “heart” of many soft-bodied robots are rigid. We present a theoretical framework and supporting experiments for an elastomeric, solenoid-driven pump that leverages magnetohydrodynamic levitation and the properties of viscous fluids to achieve unprecedented pressures and flow rates under deformation.
All Videos
All Videos
Movie S5 - Experimental demonstration of ESP integral embodiment, deployment stage
Movie S4 - Numerical investigation of viscous fingers, 3D projection
Movie S3 - Numerical investigation of viscous fingers, 2D top view
Starting in 2015, the First-to-field published pioneer work to introduce the utilization of fluid Viscosity in the field of soft robotics
News Spotlight
Now soft robots can breathe easy. Inovative deformable pump gives soft robots a heart! Published July 2022, "Magnetohydrodynamic Levitation for High-Performance Flexible Pumps,"
Written about us:
Check out Prof. Robert F. Shepherd in his inspiring analysis: Why Robots Must Be Grown, Not Assembled.
Cutting edge work by Dr. Vito Cacucciolo and Prof. Herbert Shea. An integral flexible fluidic pump for soft robotic applications.
Check out this fascinating work by Dr. Benny Gamus and Lior Salem under the supervision of Prof. Amir D. Gat and Prof. Yizhar Or
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