Virgilio Mattoli

About

Virgilio Mattoli is a leading figure in bio-inspired soft robotics and tactile sensing, whose work bridges the gap between biological systems and advanced robotic technologies. His research spans soft tactile sensors, biomimetic actuators, and plant-inspired robotics, with a particular focus on creating multifunctional, compliant systems. Mattoli’s most impactful contribution is the development of a flexible three-axial force sensor for artificial touch (475 citations), which uses conductive textiles to detect both normal and tangential forces with exceptional sensitivity—capable of sensing weights under 10 mg. He also pioneered electrically controllable hygromorphic soft actuators (303 citations), integrating humidity-driven actuation with touch-sensing in a single material. Notably, Mattoli contributed to the design of Stickybot (255 citations), a gecko-inspired climbing robot that uses directional adhesives for vertical locomotion, and led the development of a biomimetic octopus arm (248 citations), replicating the animal’s unique bending and stiffness control. His innovative work extends to plant-inspired robotics, including the Plantoid robot with sensorized roots, and conductive tattoo nanosheets for skin-contact applications. With over 1,800 total citations across his top papers, Mattoli’s research is foundational for next-generation soft, adaptive robots and human-device interfaces.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Flexible Three‐Axial Force Sensor for Soft and Highly Sensitive Artificial Touch

   475 citations · 2014
2. 2
   Toward a New Generation of Electrically Controllable Hygromorphic Soft Actuators

   303 citations · 2015
3. 3
   Whole body adhesion: hierarchical, directional and distributed control of adhesive forces for a climbing robot

   255 citations · 2007
4. 4
   Design of a biomimetic robotic octopus arm

   248 citations · 2009
5. 5
   SPIRAL: A novel biologically-inspired algorithm for gas/odor source localization in an indoor environment with no strong airflow

   125 citations · 2008
6. 6
   Piezoelectric nanotransducers: The future of neural stimulation

   111 citations · 2016
7. 7
   Tattoo Conductive Polymer Nanosheets for Skin‐Contact Applications

   97 citations · 2015
8. 8
   Plants as Model in Biomimetics and Biorobotics: New Perspectives

   97 citations · 2014
9. 9
   A plant-inspired robot with soft differential bending capabilities

   82 citations · 2016
10. 10
    A new design methodology of electrostrictive actuators for bio-inspired robotics

    79 citations · 2009

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links