News & updates
Latest developments from our institute
Stay informed about new research results, awards, events, and collaborations across our scientific community.
Research on Soft Robotic Heart receives NWA funding
The consortium Holland Hybrid Heart (HHH), which includes Soft Robotic Matter group leader Bas Overvelde (AMOLF and TU/e), has received 10 million euro in funding from the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA-ORC). The total budget for the project is 11 million euro. The team will use the funding to take a new step in the development of a soft robotic heart for people with severe heart failure. In the consortium, universities and universities of applied sciences, companies, and patient organizations collaborate on developing a soft robotic heart that can be implanted in patients’ chests to take over from the real heart. Worldwide, there are over 23 million people with heart failure, for which the best treatment is receiving a donor heart, of which there is a severe shortage.
Bas Overvelde wins KNAW Early Career Award
AMOLF group leader Bas Overvelde (Soft Robotic Matter) has won the KNAW Early Career Award. With the award, the KNAW acknowledges young and talented researchers at the beginning of their careers who are expected to (further) develop new and original research ideas. The award consists of a specially designed art work and a financial contribution of 15.000 euro that the award recipient can spend to strengthen his or her own career in science.
Responsive soft robots inspired by sputtering ketchup bottle
A smartly designed pressure valve allows soft robots to respond to their environment without the need for computer control, reveal AMOLF researchers in their article in the journal Matter. That brings robots with natural movements and tactile responses similar to those of living organisms one step closer to reality. Such developments render soft robots more suitable for exploring rough and unknown terrain or for medical applications.
Soft Robots at Teknowlogy 2022
The Soft Robotic Matter research group led by Bas Overvelde will be present at Teknowlogy 2022: the Dutch festival where technology, science, innovation and valorization meet. At the event, visitors will be able to meet the latest soft robots that are controlled by fluidics, and soft robots that manage to carefully pick up differently shaped objects. Traditionally robots use electronics for their control, but the Soft Robotic Matter group mainly uses fluidic pressure to empower their robots.
Self-learning robots go full steam ahead
Researchers from AMOLF’s Soft Robotic Matter group have shown that a group of small autonomous, self-learning robots can adapt easily to changing circumstances. They connected these simple robots in a line, after which each individual robot taught itself to move forward as quickly as possible. The results were published today in the scientific journal PNAS.
Bas Overvelde appointed in Eindhoven
Bas Overvelde (Soft Robotic Matter) has been appointed as part-time associate professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). While his group and lab will stay at AMOLF, he will spend one day a week at the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS). Overvelde wishes to initiate new collaborations with TU/e researchers, especially in the field of Soft Robotics.
ERC Starting Grant for Bruno Ehrler and Bas Overvelde
AMOLF group leaders Bruno Ehrler and Bas Overvelde have both received a Starting Grant of 1.5 million Euros from the European Research Council (ERC). The ERC uses this grant to support talented early-career scientists who have already produced excellent research, and show potential to be a research leader.
Hybrid Heart shortlisted for £30 million research grant
On 21 January 2020, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) announced that Hybrid Heart project with AMOLF group leader Bas Overvelde is one of four finalists out of 75 initial submissions that will compete in the Big Beat Challenge. The winner will receive 30 million GBP to explore and develop a radical new approach to treat cardiovascular diseases. With the World Health Organization (WHO) forecasting an increase in cardiovascular deaths worldwide, the Big Beat Challenge is a global initiative to encourage researchers and inspire transformational solutions to tackle the world’s biggest killer. As the next step, the Hybrid Heart team has to submit a full application in June 2020. The winner of the prestigious award will be announced by the end of 2020.