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About

The Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) stands as one of Europe's premier research institutions in robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced materials, with a remarkable track record of shaping the future of intelligent machines. Based in Genoa with a network of centers across Italy and internationally, IIT has established itself as a global hub for cutting-edge robotics research that consistently bridges fundamental science and real-world application. IIT's research portfolio spans an extraordinarily broad yet cohesive set of specializations. The institute is world-renowned for its pioneering work in humanoid robotics, embodied cognition, and soft robotics. Its iCub platform — a child-sized humanoid robot designed as an open-systems research tool — has become one of the most widely adopted humanoid platforms globally, deployed in dozens of laboratories worldwide and generating landmark publications that have collectively garnered thousands of citations. Complementing this, IIT's soft robotics research has redefined what robots can physically be, from octopus-inspired manipulators to stretchable electroluminescent skins and 3D-printed compliant structures, pushing boundaries of robot dexterity and adaptability. The institute's contributions to tactile sensing are particularly transformative. IIT researchers have systematically advanced flexible, large-scale robotic skin technologies, variable stiffness actuation, and multi-axis force sensing, enabling a new generation of robots capable of safe, nuanced physical interaction with humans and unstructured environments. Their HyQ quadruped robot further demonstrated IIT's mastery of dynamic legged locomotion. More recently, IIT has emerged as a leading voice in event-based vision, producing survey work amassing over 2,600 combined citations. With such breadth, depth, and measurable global impact, IIT offers an exceptional environment for researchers and students seeking to advance the frontiers of robotics and intelligent systems.