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About

Pedro Lopes is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-computer interaction, soft robotics, and haptic feedback. His work fundamentally reimagines how we interact with technology, from wearable sensors to force-feedback devices. Lopes’s most cited contribution is a stretchable, strain-unperturbed pressure sensor (354 citations) that enables motion-interference-free tactile monitoring on human skin, prosthetic limbs, and soft robots—a breakthrough for next-generation prosthetics and robotics. He also developed Aero-plane (88 citations), a handheld force-feedback device that renders weight motion illusions in virtual reality, advancing untethered VR experiences. His TrussFormer system (39 citations) allows users to 3D-print large-scale kinetic structures, bridging static and dynamic design. More recently, Lopes has explored bio-inspired robotics, designing plant-driven actuators that grow, age, and decay (17 citations), introducing a novel paradigm for sustainable, living machines. His work consistently pushes boundaries, earning him recognition as a leader in creating interactive, adaptive, and lifelike technologies. With over 500 citations across his top papers, Lopes’s research is shaping the future of tactile interfaces, VR haptics, and soft robotics.