Reflections on RoboSoft 2026 and the Workshop on the Role of Control in Soft Robot Autonomy
I am pleased to share that I gave an invited talk at the workshop “The Role for Control in Soft Robot Autonomy”, held as part of IEEE RoboSoft 2026 at the Kanazawa Institute of Technology.
The workshop brought together researchers working across soft robotics, control, mechanics, and sensing to discuss an important question for the field: what role should feedback control play in soft robotic systems designed to exploit compliance, material intelligence, and interaction with uncertain environments?
My talk focused on data-driven modeling and control of soft robotic systems, as well as on how these ideas may connect to robotic rehabilitation, where soft robotic devices, human intent estimation, and adaptive assistance could be integrated in future systems.
I would like to sincerely thank the workshop organizers — Andrew Sabelhaus, Zach Patterson, and Daniela Rus — for the excellent organization of the workshop.
More broadly, RoboSoft 2026 once again highlighted the diversity and momentum of the soft robotics community, spanning design, fabrication, modeling, control, sensing, and human-centered applications.
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