ASTRO (Advancements in SofT RObotics) is the new laboratory of IDEAS dedicated to the design and development of soft robots. ASTRO currently hosts the activities of the BIOIC project. The research activities are in the field of: design, prototyping, mechatronics, modeling and simulation, planning and control, human-robot interaction. Within ASTRO, multiple innovative concepts of soft robotic platforms are built, including: soft robotic actuators, soft robotic grippers, soft continuum manipulators, soft growing robots, soft robotic exoskeletons, flexible manipulators. Furthermore, hardware and software tools for speed up the product design and development of soft robots are developed, including: a pneumatic control board for pneumatically actuated soft robots, a tendon module for tendon-driven soft robots, a software tool for modeling and simulation of soft robots. The applications include scenarios in different fields: manufacturing, inspection and maintenance, healthcare, service.
