Prof. Jennifer A. Lewis

AI-powered CAD design unlocks new potential in robotics, equipment, and more

Prof. Jennifer A. Lewis

Hansjorg Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering

John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Project Overview

Researchers in Jennifer Lewis’s lab are developing a new paradigm for CAD projects that reveals optimal versions of human-specified designs. In this method, the user inputs high-level design concepts and specifies device functionality, and AI is leveraged to optimize, verify performance, and prepare designs for fabrication. This frees engineers and designers from lengthy, iterative, test-heavy design loops and allows them to focus on more efficient device design. This product has immediate applications in robotics, heavy equipment, materials science, and edutainment, and likely proliferating impacts in AI. Funding will support additional software development, user interface improvement, and demonstration of a physical prototype, ultimately leading to the formation of a startup.