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About

Stefano Lai is a leading researcher at the intersection of organic electronics, soft robotics, and biohybrid systems. His work focuses on developing flexible, stretchable electronic devices—particularly organic field-effect transistors (OFETs)—for sensing and actuation applications. Lai’s early contributions include pioneering organic bendable and stretchable field-effect devices for sensing, where he demonstrated how mechanical deformation can be harnessed for tactile transduction, laying the groundwork for artificial robotic skin (26 citations). He advanced this concept by inkjet-printing OTFT-based tactile transducers, enabling scalable, flexible sensor matrices for robotics (14 citations). More recently, Lai has made transformative contributions to biohybrid machines, integrating engineered skeletal muscle tissue with organic sensors for real-time force monitoring (9 citations) and developing monolithic biohybrid flexure mechanisms actuated by muscle (9 citations). His work on electrical current stimulators for controlling biohybrid systems (3 citations) further underscores his impact. With over 66 citations across his most-cited papers, Lai’s research bridges materials science, bioengineering, and robotics, offering scalable solutions for next-generation soft, bioinspired machines.