Research · Theme

Soft Manipulators & Actuators

Compliant, adaptive mechanisms for safe and versatile manipulation.

We design soft pneumatic actuators, adaptive grippers, and 3D-printed compliant mechanisms that grasp delicate and irregular objects safely. Our work investigates actuator geometry, material selection, and integration into multi-finger robotic hands and rehabilitation devices.

FAYRA, a foldable soft robotic arm for wheelchair users developed in the lab, was a Japan national runner-up in the James Dyson Award 2025. Project page →

Projects

Single-port bidirectional soft actuator

A soft actuator integrated into a versatile 3-finger robot gripper (IEEE Access, 2025).

soft actuatorgripper

Low-hardness TPU soft grippers

Materials and methods for designing 3D-printed soft grippers in 60A–70A TPU (IEEE Access, 2025).

3D printingmaterials

Soft worm robot

A monolithic 3D-printed soft crawling robot that uses spatial stiffness tuning of TPU to enhance locomotion (IEEE Access, 2026).

locomotion3D printing

Publications in Soft Manipulators & Actuators

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2026
1
Q. Q. Ayun, K. Meitani, S. Nisar
31st Int. Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics (AROB 2026)
2025
3
K. Meitani, S. Nisar
IEEE Access, vol. 13, pp. 210465–210473
5
K. Meitani, S. Nisar
30th Int. Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics (AROB) 2025
6
K. Meitani, G. G. Nanayakkara, R. M. Suarez Flores, S. Nisar
30th Int. Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics (AROB) 2025
2024
7
R. M. Suarez Flores, N. Chirachongcharoen, F. Shabani, S. Nisar
29th Int. Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics (AROB) 2024
8
Q. Ge, R. M. Suarez Flores, S. Nisar
42nd Annual Conf. of the Robotics Society of Japan (RSJ) 2024
2023
9
R. M. Suarez Flores, B. Elsayed, S. Nisar
28th Int. Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics (AROB) 2023

Other research themes

Interested in soft manipulators & actuators?

We welcome Master's and Ph.D. students, research interns, and undergraduate project students. Get in touch to discuss projects and collaborations.