Matteo Cianchetti

Matteo Cianchetti serves as Associate Professor at the BioRobotics Institute of Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, where he leads the Soft Mechatronics for Biorobotics Lab with a 13-member research team. His work centers on developing soft robotics technologies for biorobotic applications spanning healthcare, surgery, and industrial automation.

His academic foundation includes:

• MSc in Biomedical Engineering (cum laude), University of Pisa, 2007
• PhD in Biorobotics (cum laude), Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna

Dr. Cianchetti's research pioneers Soft Mechatronics for Biorobotics, focusing on soft actuators, compliant sensors, and flexible mechanisms. His work drives innovation in:

• Assistive robotics (I-SUPPORT bathing assistance system)
• Surgical robotics (STIFF-FLOP variable-stiffness manipulators)
• Artificial organs (hybrid heart and larynx development)
• Wearable monitoring systems for neurorehabilitation

His 2024-2025 publications reveal accelerating trends in machine learning integration for soft robot control, biomimetic medical simulators, and agricultural automation. Key advancements include textile-based proprioception, laser-induced graphene sensors, and variable-stiffness architectures enabling real-world deployment in low-resource settings.

No scientific awards were documented in the source material.

He coordinates major EU initiatives including:

• SoftGrip: Mushroom harvesting robotics (as coordinator)
• Hybrid Heart: Artificial heart combining soft robotics and tissue engineering
• MAESTRI: Next-generation medical robotics platforms

His lab actively mentors researchers while securing industry partnerships with oil/gas and sportswear leaders for technology transfer.

The Soft Mechatronics for Biorobotics Lab operates as an innovation hub translating fundamental research into commercial applications. Current projects span pipeline inspection robotics, performance-enhancing athletic wear, and educational soft robotics kits, demonstrating strong industry-academia collaboration.