Two labs are involved in IntelliMan, namely the Mechanical Computer-Aided Engineering Laboratory (M-CAE Lab) and the Connected Objects, Smart Materials, Integrated Circuits (COSMIC) research Lab., respectively led by Prof. Giovanni Berselli and Prof. Maurizio Valle. Expertise relevant to the project is in the following areas: virtual and physical prototyping of compliant mechanisms and actuators, design and modelling of soft contact interfaces, CAE-based optimization methods , design and development of tactile sensing systems for robotics and prosthetics, characterization of piezoelectric polymer materials, modelling and design of electronic skin systems, tactile data processing and information decoding, electronic embedded systems, microelectronics, Machine/Deep learning, IoT.

In particular, UNIGE will contribute to IntelliMan activities with:

• Development of innovative compliant joints and robot hands/grippers made therewith
• Modelling and development of optimized soft covers for robotic contact interfaces
• Development of customized, flexible, high density tactile sensing arrays for advanced prosthetic/robotic hands and manipulators
• Development of miniaturised interface electronics for tactile sensors
• Algorithms for tactile data processing and high-level information extraction

Other research projects related with the topics addressed in IntelliMan are:

• DEXMART – Project DEXterous and autonomous dual-arm/hand robotic manipulation with sMART sensorymotor skills: A bridge from natural to artificial cognition.
• H2020, TACTILITY – Project TACTIle feedback enriched virtual interaction through virtual realITY and beyond.
• ROBOSKIN – Project Skin-Based Technologies and Capabilities for Safe, Autonomous and Interactive Robot
• NEUROTOUCH –  Understanding neural coding of touch as enabling technology for prosthetics and robotics