Physical AI Lab
Research Lab at Ben Gurion University
What is Physical AI (PAI)?
Physical Artificial Intelligence (PAI) refers to the theory and practice of creating physical systems capable of performing tasks typically associated with intelligent organisms.
Nature Machine Intelligence, 2(11) 2020 The full text of the paper is available here
PAI Lab's Vision & Mission
On the PAI Methodology
"The PAI methodology inherently combines the considerations of materials, design, and manufacturing. Robots developed using PAI may autonomously perform tasks and maintain homeostasis in unstructured environments by exploiting the physical and computational features of their bodies along with the computational abilities of their "brains". Akin to biological organisms, PAI robotics can either replace digital AI or synergistically complement it by interfacing to a "brain". Many small robots, or those with limited computational functionality, would not include a dedicated central "brain," and their body's computation will guide their performance. Similar to the principles of natural diversity, PAI synthesis refers to robotic systems of any functionality, shape, size, and habitat, with particular emphasis on integrating chemical, biological, and material based functionalities."
Physical Artificial Intelligence (PAI) refers to the theory and practice of synthesizing lifelike robots. This is achieved by using skills from the disciplines of materials science, mechanical engineering, computer science, chemistry and biology to evolve a fully-functional robot (in the illustration: robotic bee). The process incorporates the considerations of materials, structure, sensing and actuation, and results in a fully autonomous multi-functional robot. Adopted from "Skills for Physical Artificial Intelligence", Aslan Miriyev, Mirko Kovac, Nature Machine Intelligence, 2, 658-660, 2020.
PAI as a Multidisciplinary Domain
"A number of disciplines are closely intertwined in the ambitious venture of creating PAI. Mainly, these are materials science, mechanical engineering, computer science, chemistry, and biology. Leading the paradigm shift from robots as an assembly of hard devices to PAI-comprised robots requires a combination of skills in these disciplines. The domains of each discipline indicate the great plurality and diversity of the desirable skills, leaving space for even more. However, such a broad range of skills for a single person is difficult to obtain today, and no systematic educational approaches exist to develop them."
Physical Artificial Intelligence (PAI) is comprised of five main disciplines: materials science, mechanical engineering, computer science, biology and chemistry. Adopted from "Skills for Physical Artificial Intelligence", Aslan Miriyev, Mirko Kovac, Nature Machine Intelligence, 2, 658-660, 2020.
Scientific and Educational Activity and Mission
The PAI Lab has been created as a unique scientific and educational platform for research on the new domain of PAI. This multidisciplinary research lab involves in a single place research and facilities characteristic of all five above-mentioned fields to allow for dedicated research at the nexus of disciplines.
Research in the PAI Lab shapes the educational path for future generations of engineers, researchers, and scientists by developing skills in multiple disciplines for interdisciplinary work. PAI lab aims at educating engineers and researchers for the capability of tackling problems requiring multidomain vision and understanding.
The PAI Lab's mission is to develop breakthrough approaches, methodology, and educational basis in physical AI via unveiling the scientific fundamentals of creating nature-like intelligent and collaborative robotic systems, allowing for symbiotic human-robot and nature-robot ecosystems.
Cover of Nature Machine Intelligence, Issue of November 2020.
Based on the "Hands of creation" image, showing human hands creating PAI by using skills from 5 disciplines. Image credit: Aslan Miriyev Mirko Kovac / Empa and Imperial College London; Cover design: Karen Moore.
People
Dr. Aslan Miriyev
Director and Principal Investigator (PI), The PAI Lab
Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor), Department of Mechanical Engineering
Feb. 2024
Alumni
Dr. Sergey Nechausov - Postdoctoral researcher, 2022-2024 -- Now at Helmholtz Institute, Jena, Germany
Mr. Mingyao Hou - M.Sc. student, 2023-2024
Ms. Yini Guo - Intern from The University of Oxford, Summer 2023
News
AFOSR Grant Awarded!
March 26, 2025
A new grant by AFOSR was awarded to advance the research on physical AI through the understanding of nonlinearities in soft ionic systems.
I-wi: Ionic wires paper is published in Additive Manufacturing (Impact Factor 10.3; Citescore 19.8)
March 16, 2025
We developed the first 3D-printable, stretchable ionogel and ionic eutectogel wires (i-wi) capable of transmitting both AC and DC
signals in both resting and extended conditions. Read this open-access paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2025.104743
Collaboration with Northwestern University Funded!
January 29, 2025
A new collaboration with Prof. Ryan Truby of Northwestern University, funded by the Crown Family Fellowship and the Israel Innovation Project of Northwestern University. It includes the PAI lab postdoc's 3-month research at Northwestern's Robotic Matter Lab.
MOST Israel-France Collaboration Grant Awarded!
December 1, 2024
IonicHap: This groundbreaking two-year collaboration with Dr. Claudio Pacchierotti from INRIA, France, was made possible through funding from the Israel Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology (MOST).
ISF Grants Awarded!
August 8, 2024
The PAI research received incredible recognition from the Israel Science Foundation (ISF), which granted a 1.2M personal research grant for 4 years and a generous equipment grant.
Congratulations to Dr. Sergey Nechausov
July 28, 2024
Congratulations to Dr. Sergey Nechausov - the PAI Lab's 2024 alumnus, on completing 2 fruitful years at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and moving on to Germany to a position at HIPOLE Jena - Helmholtz Institute for Polymers in Energy Applications! Sergey spent the past two years studying multifunctional ionic and mixed ionic-electronic conductivity (MIEC) materials as components of physically intelligent systems. Among other achievements and contributions, Sergey received a competitive Kreitman School Scholarship for Postdoctoral Studies and led the Chemical Engineering Journal (CEJ) paper on 3D-Printable high-mixed-conductivity ionogel composites for soft multifunctional devices (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.153759). More great news about our research to come. Thank you, Sergey, for your contributions to our PAI laboratory and research – it was a pleasure to have you in the PAI lab!
The PAI Lab's First Research Paper Is Out!
Update: July 21, 2024
Our publication, featured in the journal ranked in the top 3% in related categories, was awarded open-access funding of $4,490 by the Office of the VP of R&D at BGU, which supports open-access publications in leading journals.
July 16, 2024
BGU published a press release about our work, and it is titled "New Soft Multifunctional Sensors Mark a Step Forward for Physical AI".
Link to the paper: 3D-Printable high-mixed-conductivity ionogel composites for soft multifunctional devices - ScienceDirect
Link to BGU press release: https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/new-soft-multifunctional-sensors-mark-a-step-forward-for-physical-ai/
Link to the publication on EurekAlert!: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1051313
PAI Lab at the ESPS 2024, 8th European Symposium of Photopolymer Science
June 17, 2024
Dr. Sergey Nechausov presents our work on soft multifunctional ionic composites at ESPS 2024 in Stresa, Italy:
Positions
PAI Lab Welcomes Talented Researchers!
Are you passionate about the groundbreaking ideas behind PAI and excited to contribute to the creation of sustainable, symbiotic ecosystems that connect humans, robots, and nature? If so, PAI Lab is the perfect place to pursue your research ambitions.
Currently, we are seeking highly motivated researchers for the following opportunities:
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Postdoc positions, visit https://www.labpai.com/postdoc-positions
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Ph.D. positions, visit https://www.labpai.com/phd-positions
To apply for a position, please email Dr. Aslan Miriyev in accordance with the specific requirements listed for each opportunity. Before applying, make sure you have explored and/or applied to all available internal and external scholarship sources. In your application email, please indicate any scholarships you have already obtained or applied for.
Importantly, please note that a successful candidate is expected to:
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Be genuinely interested in interdisciplinary learning.
PAI research lies at the intersection of multiple disciplines. You are expected to be open to exploring knowledge and skills beyond your current major, to be curious about cross-disciplinary interfaces, and to understand the interaction mechanisms among these domains. -
Have excellent written and spoken English skills.
This is an essential requirement. English is the primary language of communication in today's global scientific and technological community. As a researcher in the PAI Lab, you are expected to comprehend the state of the art, articulate your ideas, and present your work clearly in English. -
Demonstrate strong self-learning abilities.
With an abundance of information readily available, the ability to independently search for, learn, and apply knowledge is crucial. This skill is especially important in interdisciplinary research, where traditional curricula may not provide all the necessary tools. -
Show proven commitment and self-discipline.
Research demands juggling multiple high-priority tasks, often under tight timelines. You are expected to take full ownership of your responsibilities, deliver work on time, and manage your schedule efficiently. Self-discipline is key to making consistent progress, focusing on the details, and maintaining a collaborative environment.
Contact us
To contact the PAI lab, please email the Lab Director, Dr. Aslan Miriyev.
Email:
Physical Address:
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Marcus Family Campus
1 Ben-Gurion blvd.
Beer Sheva 8410501
Israel
