Future planetary exploration missions will increasingly rely on rovers and robots to collect, handle, and prepare delicate geological specimens for in-situ analysis. With shifts in Mars Sample Return planning, in-situ sampling and analysis on the Martian surface has become a key near-term pathway for planetary geoscience, making advanced robotic sampling capabilities ever more critical. Hot spring silica sinters — among the highest-priority astrobiological targets for preserving biosignatures of ancient microbial life — are inherently fragile: brittle, layered, and texturally complex. Excessive gripping force crushes delicate laminae and destroys critical contextual information and biosignatures, while insufficient force drops and shatters samples. Gentle robotic manipulation — achieving both an appropriate grasp configuration and a suitable force — is therefore essential. Yet no existing robotic system or manipulation algorithm has been designed for gentle handling of geological samples, let alone under planetary-surface conditions of vacuum, thermal cycling, and communication delays that preclude real-time teleoperation.
This PhD project will develop robotic manipulation systems and learning-based autonomy for gentle, low-damage handling of fragile geological samples toward planetary exploration. The project spans three complementary directions — sensorised end-effectors with tactile sensing; integration into a mobile, rover-style sampling system with the perception and approach this requires; and learning-based control and autonomy — and the precise focus will be scoped with the supervisors to suit the candidate’s background and interests. It brings together emerging robotics and tactile-sensing expertise in the School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences (EECMS) with world-leading planetary sample science, astrobiology, and space-engineering expertise in the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) and its Space Science and Technology Centre (SSTC) — the largest planetary research group in the Southern Hemisphere. The project aligns with Curtin’s LifeSpringsMars initiative, which connects Western Australia’s Pilbara geology to Mars exploration with robotics as a key enabling technology.
Aim
This project aims to develop robotic manipulation systems and learning-based autonomy for gentle, low-damage geological sampling under planetary-surface conditions — from sensorised end-effectors through to autonomous sampling behaviour.
Objectives
The project spans complementary directions across sensing hardware, the robotic sampling system, and learning-based autonomy; the precise focus will be scoped with the supervisors to suit the candidate.
- Characterise the mechanical fragility of representative geological samples (hot spring silica sinters spanning textures and diagenetic states) through mechanical testing, establishing damage thresholds — safe gripping force, contact-pressure limits, and shear sensitivity — and defining sample-integrity metrics, in collaboration with EPS.
- Design and fabricate a sensorised gripper that integrates compliant contact surfaces of tunable stiffness with embedded tactile and force sensing, providing real-time feedback on gripping force, contact area, and incipient slip.
- Integrate the gripper and manipulator into a mobile, rover-style sampling system, developing the perception and approach behaviours needed for end-to-end gentle sampling under planetary constraints.
- Develop tactile- and force-in-the-loop control and learning-based policies for gentle pick-and-place, stabilisation during cutting and sectioning, and autonomous operation where communication delays preclude teleoperation, robust to limited prior knowledge of sample properties.
- Validate the system and policies under simulated planetary-surface conditions — thermal-vacuum and vibration testing — and benchmark sample-integrity outcomes against expert human handling, toward a spaceflight-ready solution.
Significance
The proposed research will:
- Deliver the first robotic sampling system and manipulation framework purpose-designed for gentle handling of fragile geological samples under planetary-surface conditions, addressing a capability gap with no existing solution.
- Help preserve the biosignatures and contextual information essential to in-situ astrobiology and planetary sample science.
- Advance autonomous gentle manipulation for settings where real-time human control is impossible, a capability transferable well beyond planetary exploration.
- Establish a lasting interdisciplinary collaboration between EECMS and EPS that combines robotics and AI with planetary science and space engineering, with strong potential for sustained, externally funded research.
- Generalise to terrestrial domains where contact-sensitive objects must be handled gently, including mining sample handling, heritage conservation, and the food, agriculture, and care sectors, while training an interdisciplinary researcher at the intersection of robotics, AI, and planetary science.
Ideal Candidate
We are seeking a self-motivated PhD candidate who:
- Is eligible to enrol in PhD programs at Curtin University.
- Holds at least a bachelor’s degree with honours in a relevant field such as Robotics, Machine Learning, Computer Science, or Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Aerospace).
- Demonstrates the ability to conduct research in robotics, mechatronics, machine learning, and robot learning, with an interest in space, planetary, or geological applications.
- Possesses skills across some of the following: mechatronic and gripper/mechanism design, tactile and force sensing, embedded systems, 3D printing and silicone moulding, mobile robotics and perception, and programming (Python, C, or C++) with experience in the ROS 2 ecosystem; familiarity with force/impedance control or learning-based manipulation policies is an advantage.
- Exhibits excellent communication skills and works effectively in a cross-disciplinary team environment.
This project is open to International and Domestic applicants.
Internship
Through this project you will also have an internship opportunity. There are internship opportunities with domestic robotics companies such as LYRO Robotics (https://lyro.com), which specialises in robotic systems for handling agricultural products, and Sydekick Robotics (https://www.sydekick.bot), a Queensland-based company building an AI-powered platform for creating dexterous, human-like robot manipulation skills. The project also offers engagement with Curtin’s Space Science and Technology Centre and the Binar Space Program, providing exposure to space-systems engineering and the LifeSpringsMars initiative.
Scholarship
If you are identified as the preferred candidate for this project, you may be considered for an RTP scholarship.
Enquires and How to Apply
For enquires about this opportunity contact Dr Fangyi Zhang at Fangyi.Zhang@curtin.edu.au
To formally apply submit an Expression of Interest to Dr Fangyi Zhang during the Central Scholarship round (July 1st – July 31st 2026)