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About

We cordially invite you to the 2025 Symposium on the Future of Soft Robotics, to be held at the Werkhof in Hannover, Germany. This prestigious event will feature keynote addresses from leading experts, as well as poster and teaser presentations showcasing the latest research and innovations in soft robotics. Participants will also engage in thought-provoking discussions on the future directions of this rapidly evolving field. Join us to exchange knowledge, foster collaboration, and contribute to shaping the next generation of soft robotics technologies.

Call for Contributions

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to the upcoming Symposium on the Future of Soft Robotics, organized by the DFG Priority Programme SPP2100. The event will be held in person, providing an excellent opportunity to engage with leading experts in the fields of Soft Robotics, modelling and control, morphological computation and embodied intelligence, and material science. 

We are seeking teaser talks from attendees that would like to take the opportunity to introduce their research and open discussions on potential future collaborations. Each teaser talk will be followed by a poster session, where you can dive deeper into your research with fellow attendees and explore possibilities for collaboration.

Submission guidelines

  • Extended abstract in IEEE paper format (max two pages) describing your work
  • Send your email with the subject [Symposium 2025 - Name and Surname of the Contact Author] to spp2100@match.uni-hannover.de
  • Deadline for submissions is March 4th, 2025.

We look forward to your participation and the exciting discussions that will shape the future of soft robotics research!

For more information and submission details, please contact the organizing team at spp2100@match.uni-hannover.de.

 

Keynotes Speakers

Perla Maiolino is an Associate Professor in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford and a member of the Oxford Robotics Institute. She earned her BEng, MEng, and PhD from the University of Genoa, focusing on developing large-area tactile sensors for robots. Her research centers on providing robots with a sense of touch, crucial for tasks like object manipulation and human-robot interaction. She has developed soft tactile sensors that mimic human touch, enabling robots to perceive textures, pressure, and shapes with high precision.


Prof Jamie Paik is the director of the Reconfigurable Robotics Lab (RRL) at EPFL. She is a pioneer in soft robotics, known for developing robogamis, foldable robots inspired by origami that can change shape and function. Her work focuses on creating adaptable, lightweight, and sustainable robots for medical, exploratory, and everyday applications. Paik’s innovative designs challenge traditional robotics, emphasizing flexibility and integration into daily life. She continues to shape the future of robotics with her groundbreaking contributions.


Helge Wurdemann is a leading researcher in soft robotics and a professor at University College London (UCL), where he heads the Soft Haptics and Robotics Lab. His work focuses on creating highly dexterous and compliant robotic systems inspired by natural structures and movements. Wurdemann has pioneered developments in robotic manipulators with soft, adaptable properties for use in medical and industrial applications. His designs aim to enhance human-robot interaction, particularly in delicate tasks like minimally invasive surgery.

Agenda

Day 1 - Wednesday 9th April 2025

Time Topic  Speaker
08:30 Welcome Snacks + Coffee   
09:00 Opening Remarks Annika Raatz                                      
09:30 Keynote Talk 1  
10:30 Teaser Presentations External Guests
11:00 Coffee Break  
11:30 Teaser Presentations  External Guests
13:00 Lunch Break  
14:30 Teaser Presentations External Guests
16:00 Coffee Break  
16:30 Keynote Talk 2  
17:30 Break / Room Preparation  
17:45  Poster & Demos Session + Drink & Snacks  
19:15 Break  
19:30 Welcome Dinner  

 

Day 2 - Thursday 10th April 2025

Time Topic  Speaker
09:00 DFG Funding Options DFG Representative
09:15 Coherent Methodology for Modelling and Design of Soft Material Robots - The Soft Material Robotics Toolbox Annika Raatz & Thomas Seel & Jörg Wallashek
09:45 Soft Material Tendon-Driven Serial Manipulators Remco I. Leine & Bastian Deutschmann
10:15 Intelligent Polymer Materials as Actuators and Sensors for Soft Robotics Applications Sabine Ludwigs & Holger Steeb
10:45 Coffee Break  
11:15 Smart Elastomers for Soft Robotics Application Amit Das & Andreas Fery
11:45 Wireless Miniature Medical Soft Robots Inside our Body Christoph Keplinger
12:15 Photomechanical Soft Grippers  Anne Staubitz & Stanislav N. Gorb
12:45 Lunch Break   
14:15 Soft Material Actuator / Sensor Concepts for Three-Dimensional Soft Robotic System Gianluca Rizzello & Stephan Seelecke
14:45 Active Control of  Stiffness Distribution Ajustement and its Application in Underwater Soft Robots Wenqi Hu
15:15 Biomimetic Robots Autonomously Driven by Dielectric Elastomers Tobias Kraus & E.-F. Markus Vorrath & Uwe Marschner
15:45 Coffee Break  
16:15 Soft Tensegrity Structures Lena Zentner & Valter Böhm
16:45 Active Suction Device for Deep-Sea Applications Annika Raatz & Tom Kwasnitschka
17:15 Break / Room Preparation  
17:30 Poster & Demos Session + Drink & Snacks  
19:00 Break  
20:15  Dinner  

 

Day 3 - Friday 11th April 2025

Time Topic  Speaker
09:00      Keynote Speaker 3  
10:00 Co-Design of Feedback Control and Soft Morphology for in-Hand Manipulation Oliver Brock
10:20 Enhanced Robotic Gripper Optimization: Simulation using Machine-Learning Thorsten Pöschel
10:40 Development and Characterization of Soft Magnetic Materials with Anisotropy in the Mechanical Properties and Multi-Stimulated Compliance Stefan Odenbach & Klaus Zimmermann
11:00 Coffee Break + Snacks  
11:30 Discussion Round Table "Future of Soft Robotics"  
13:00 Closing Remarks Annika Raatz

Invited Speakers

Organizing Committee

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