Nathaniel N. Goldberg

University of California, Berkeley, University of California San Diego

Papers

Total Citations

420

H-Index

About

Nathaniel N. Goldberg is a researcher at the forefront of soft robotics and smart materials, with expertise spanning dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), computational modeling, and bio-inspired robotic systems. His most influential contribution, "Translucent soft robots driven by frameless fluid electrode dielectric elastomer actuators" (2018), has garnered an impressive 336 citations, establishing him as a leading voice in the development of DEA-based soft robotic systems. This work introduced fluid electrodes as a transformative solution to one of the field's persistent challenges — creating compliant, reliable electrodes — enabling soft robots with remarkable actuation performance and translucency. Goldberg further advanced this technology through investigations into elastomeric diaphragm pumps and submersible robotics applications, broadening the practical utility of FEDEAs across medical devices and underwater systems. Beyond actuation hardware, his 2019 work applying discrete elastic rod models to soft robot locomotion demonstrates his commitment to rigorous computational frameworks that make soft robot behavior more predictable and designable. Together, his contributions bridge materials innovation and mathematical modeling, offering the soft robotics community both powerful new hardware paradigms and the analytical tools needed to understand them.