Advances in electrochemistry and fabrication have enabled wide-scale adoption of electric vehicles and a strong push for electrification of power grids across the world. In parallel, progress in materials chemistry and processing has enabled significant advances in small and soft robotics, medical devices, and wearables, pushing the boundaries of how and where humans and robots interact. However, a fundamental mismatch has emerged: these novel soft and small machines operate in environments which are incompatible with conventional energy storage solutions. Soft and wearable systems need to accommodate mechanical strain, while small devices require batteries at scales not accessible by conventional production techniques. Current limitations in the design, fabrication, and integration of these systems restricts their practical utility and meaningful use beyond the laboratory. In recognition of the interdisciplinary challenges facing the design and fabrication of energy materials at small scales and in mechanically challenging environments – the objective of this symposium is to bring together researchers from the fields of electrochemistry, soft and microscale robotics, stretchable electronics, additive manufacturing, and chemical engineering and highlight research that advances energy materials as key robotic components. This symposium will focus on three key research areas: novel chemistries for deformable energy storage, integrated design and fabrication strategies for stretchable devices, and multifunctional devices for energy conversion and storage.

additive manufacturing elastic properties ink-jet printing screen printing self-assembly