ANIMA – ANImatronics and Mechatronic Artificial organs
I EDITION | ON SITE | APPLICATION
Deadline for Registration March 20th, 2026
Period
May 25th - 29th, 2026
Learning objectives
ANIMA (ANImatronics and Mechatronic Artificial organs) Seasonal School draws on the tradition of animatronics, while incorporating innovative knowledge in robotics and biorobotics and promoting automation in medical phantoms used for training healthcare professionals. This type of knowledge is relevant in both national and international contexts such as social robotics, entertainment robotics, non-invasive monitoring of natural environments, medical robotics, and human–robot interaction.
ANIMA allows students to combine elements from different disciplines and to acquire both technical and non-technical skills, such as working in multidisciplinary teams, developing independence, and critically evaluating design choices.
The specific knowledge they will gain includes the history and role of animatronics in society and of phantoms in medicine, fundamentals of robotics and biomechanics, and the aesthetic and practical perception of covers.
Students will develop practical and technical skills including the selection of actuation systems according to different motion requirements; programming of microcontrollers to control animatronic mechanisms by integrating sensors and motion sequences; digital fabrication techniques and silicone casting; and finally, the integration of structural, mechanical, electrical, with aesthetic components.
Alongside these specific and technical skills, students will also develop teamwork and communication abilities, by working in small interdisciplinary teams to plan, build, and present a shared project that balances feasibility with design goals. They will also be required to clearly communicate their design activities and achieved results, learn to effectively divide tasks, and present their individual contribution within a collaborative project.
Teaching methodologies
The Seasonal School adopts a hands-on educational approach, by means of projects assigned to teams of students that bridge theoretical lectures with laboratory experiences. Course time is split in about 50% of the hours dedicated to lectures on key topics, and the remaining 50% to practical application of the introduced theory.
The lectures, concise and focused, introduce the fundamental concepts of mechanics, electronics, programming, robotics, biomechanics, and biomimetics, while the practical sessions progressively build the final prototype based on the topics presented. Emphasis is placed on active participation: students are encouraged to ask questions, discuss design choices, and assess trade-offs between alternative solutions, always under the instructor’s supervision.
During laboratory sessions, participants work directly with components such as motors, sensors, microcontrollers, and fabrication tools, while instructors provide targeted support and ensure the safe and effective use of equipment. Students are organized into small interdisciplinary teams that build an animatronic prototype (for entertainment or medical purposes), applying in an integrated way the knowledge acquired during lectures and labs, and managing independently their own task distribution.
Standard kits (including actuators, sensors, microcontrollers, materials, etc.) will be provided to all groups, with the possibility of minor custom fabrication or modifications. Projects considered feasible within the assigned timeframe will be presented to groups, that will have the freedom to define certain parameters of their project, with the option to extend the base designs – while always maintaining feasibility as the primary requirement.
Project complexity should be designed to include a maximum of three actuated degrees of freedom (minimum one); a maximum of three sensors (up to three different types, minimum one); and must be developed with a control algorithm that closes the sensor/actuator loop. The project should also incorporate biometric, morphological, and chromatic references that adhere to biomimetic design principles.
At the end of each day, review and mentoring sessions are held to provide formative feedback that supports teams in solving technical issues and making design decisions, particularly regarding feasibility, integration, and originality of their solutions. Finally, a peer-evaluation activity is proposed at the end of the Seasonal School, allowing students to identify which among the other projects they consider the most interesting or deserving, fostering self-assessment and constructive comparison.
Target participants
ANIMA is aimed to PhD, Postgraduate and Undergraduate students from different backgrounds who are interested in the employment of mechatronics for entertainment, environmental or medical purposes.
Background that can apply include:
- Robotics, Automation, or similar domains
- Engineering or applied science
- Biology
- Industrial design
- Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science or similar domains
Coordinator and key teaching staff
Coordinator: Associate Professor Marcello Calisti
Co-Coordinator: Associate Professor Matteo Cianchetti
Co-Coordinator: Full Professor Arianna Menciassi
Co-Coordinator: Associate Professor Donato Romano
External lecturers and tutors will support the delivery of the Seasonal School