Future robots will be designed to assist and collaborate with humans, operating in complex, unstructured environments. Their artificial intelligence (AI) must draw inspiration from biological studies and extend beyond algorithms to their physical bodies. Biological bodies use soft materials for actuation, sensing, and control. Replicating this can involve designing synthetic systems inspired by biology or biohybrid systems emerging from the combination of biological and synthetic materials. Bioinspired synthetic systems aim to replicate the high integration and coupling of sensing-actuation-control in biological systems but are limited by material choice and micro-to-meso fabrication processes. Robots actuated via biological muscle tissues (bio-actuators) aim to surpass current robotic actuation constraints by using the unique abilities of living matter but still display limited performance and poor design freedom. This workshop will shed light on both approaches, highlighting recent trends and current challenges in bioinspired and biohybrid soft robotics. For bioinspiration, topics include exploring biodynamics, integrating sensory and actuation elements at the material level (physical self-awareness), employing neuromorphic components for adaptive control, and computational studies for efficient control. Emphasis is placed on design, materials, fabrication, and sustainability, as well as promoting renewable resources and energy-saving methods. Challenges in biohybrid robots include limited durability and actuation capability compared to native tissue and conventional actuation technologies. Enhancements in biofabrication, cell stimulation, microfluidics, and AI can optimise performance. Workshop experts will delve into enabling technologies for performant bioinspired systems and functional bio-actuators and discuss overcoming key challenges to unlock biological machines’ potential.

Organizers

• Lorenzo Vannozzi
• Edoardo Milana
• Lorenzo Migliorini
• Paolo Milani
• Miriam Filippi
• Robert Kevin Katzschmann

Program

Please download the final agenda

We propose a special issue in Wiley’s Advanced Intelligent Systems as a follow-up to the workshop that allows highlighting the progress in biohybrid robotics.
Topic: “Bio-hybrids: when robots come alive”
Submission deadline: 30 September 2024
Guest Editors for the Special Issue: Dr. Miriam Filippi, Prof. Robert Katzschmann
Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Richard Murray

Our sponsor

This Workshop is supported by the BioMeld project, funded from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 101070328