Michele Scaraggi

Michele Scaraggi is an Associate Professor at the Department of Innovation Engineering, University of Salento, Italy. He leads the Advanced BioInterface Technologies Lab and Advanced Driving to X Simulation Lab, a joint lab with Porsche Engineering. His work bridges tribology, contact mechanics, and bio-inspired robotics.

• Education: PhD in Bio-Mechanical and Mechanical Design (Politecnico di Bari, 2009); MS and BS in Mechanical Engineering (Politecnico di Bari, 2006 and 2004).
• Research Interests:
  • Tribology: Friction, adhesion, and lubrication in dry/wet contacts.
  • Soft Robotics: Microbots, smart actuators, and bio-inspired designs.
  • Computational Mechanics: Multiscale modeling of hierarchical surfaces.
  • Biomechanics: Applications to seals, tire/road interactions, and biomedical devices.
• Projects:
  • ELFIN: Electroactive grippers for micro-object manipulation.
  • TRIBOSCORE: Tribological modeling for sustainable industrial interfaces.
  • BRILLIANCE: RFID-enhanced tactile rehabilitation technologies.
• Scientific Awards:
  • AIMETA Junior Researcher Award (2017).
  • Multiple COST grants for collaborative research in Germany.
  • FFABR 2017 Grant for basic research funding.
• Teaching:
  • Applied Mechanics (BS Industrial Engineering).
  • Vehicle Mechanics (MS Mechanical Engineering).
  • Fluid Dynamics (MS Aerospace Engineering).
  • Doctoral course: Fundamentals of Adhesion.
• Collaborations: Imperial College London, IIT Italy, FZ-Jülich, SKF, Freudenberg, and others.