Da Capo Innovations, Inc. of New York City is developing a flexible, retractable mechanism for soft robotics and the wings of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Dr. Alan Shih, the company’s founder, is an expert in aerospace technology who finds inspiration in the beauty of the natural world. The term “Da Capo” is an Italian musical term meaning “from the beginning.”
UAVs, or drones, are remotely-piloted autonomous aerial vehicles. The technology that Dr. Shih envisions for drone wings also applies to soft robotics, a subfield of robotics that uses compliant materials instead of rigid links. For drones and robots with flexible, retractable features, the benefits include reduced storage space and the ability to navigate through narrow passageways.