Monolithic Units: Actuation, Sensing, and Simulation for Integrated Soft Robot Design

A monolithic actuator–lattice–sensor building block (MU) with simulation-informed optical waveguide placement to preserve mechanical response.

📄 RoboSoft 2026 (accepted) • arXiv

Overview

This work introduces the Monolithic Unit (MU): a reproducible building block that integrates pneumatic actuation, a compliant lattice envelope, and candidate optical waveguide sensing paths into a single printed body. The workflow links parametric design, experimental homogenization, and simulation to embed sensing while minimizing changes to the baseline mechanical response.

My responsibilities

  • Worked across an interdisciplinary team (materials characterization, simulation, sensing integration)
  • Built a workflow for optimizing sensor placement inside a bladder-like pneumatic actuator that is half-embedded in a lattice
  • Implemented the parametric design framework in Grasshopper (Rhinoceros 3D) and supported exporting geometry + lattice node coordinates for simulation-driven evaluation

Key idea

Treat sensor placement as a discrete optimization problem over a finite set of manufacturable waveguide paths derived from lattice nodes, and select the path that minimizes deviation from the baseline actuation response in simulation (baseline “Model A” vs sensorized “Model α”).

Citation

Exley, T., Nardin, A. B., Trunin, P., Cafiso, D., Beccai, L.
Monolithic Units: Actuation, Sensing, and Simulation for Integrated Soft Robot Design.
RoboSoft 2026. (accepted). arXiv:2511.13120