dr. A. Sadeghi (Ali)

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at the University of Twente, where I lead the Soft Robotics Lab. My research focuses on the development of novel soft actuators and sensors, with particular emphasis on their design, material innovation, and fabrication through advanced additive manufacturing. These systems aim to enable next-generation wearable robots, healthcare devices, and environmental monitoring systems that can safely and adaptively interact with humans and their surroundings.

At the Soft Robotics Lab, we develop new methods and robotic machines for the additive manufacturing of soft robots. Our key achievements include the creation of a soft rubber pellet extruder printer, 3D weaving/printing systems, and a multi-material polymer printer—technologies that significantly advance the capabilities of soft material fabrication. My group’s research centers on the 3D printing of hyperelastic, fiber-reinforced, and multi-material smart polymers, enabling the integration of sensing, actuation, and intelligence into soft robotic systems.

I received my Ph.D. (cum laude) in Micro-BioRobotics from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Italy (2013), and both my M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Manufacturing and Production Engineering from the University of Tehran (2004) and Noshirvani University of Technology (2001), respectively.

Before joining the University of Twente, I spent several years in both academia and industry. As a lecturer and researcher at the University of Tehran (2004–2010), I worked on service robots and polymer micromachining. My passion for soft robotics deepened during my time at the Italian Institute of Technology’s Center for Micro-BioRobotics (2010–2019), where I explored nature-inspired design and fabrication of soft-bodied robots. I notably pioneered “Growing Robots”, which use additive manufacturing principles to build and extend their own structures, inspired by plant growth mechanisms.

I have served as Principal Investigator, Work Package Leader, and partner in multiple Dutch, Italian, and EU research projects related to soft robotics for healthcare and environmental applications, including Holland Hybrid Heart, GROWMIS, PROMETHEUS, INDEPEND, GROWBOT, XoSoft, SMASH, and PLANTOID.

Expertise

• Material Science

  • Three Dimensional Printing
  • Actuator
  • Stiffness
  • Air

• Earth and Planetary Sciences

  • Robot
  • Landscape
  • Module

• Engineering

  • Porosity

Organisations

Fields of interest

Soft Care and Rehabilitation Robots - Soft Robotics - Growing Robots - Additive Manufacturing of Smart Structures - Sensor Integrated Soft Actuators - Stiffness Tunable Structures 

Currently, I am investigating new materials and techniques for additive manufacturing of soft robots and smart composites. In particular, my research focuses on the design and development of novel fundamental components (e.g. actuators and sensors) and their method of integration into soft-bodied robots. I am always passionate and collaborative in bringing the soft robotics solutions to various areas of applications from biomedical  and wearable technologies to education, architecture, and art. 

Publications

Other contributions

Patenets

• Sadeghi, A. and Mazzolai, B., " System for non-destructive penetration of a substrate" (TO2013A000588) - (PCT/IB2014/062758) - (EP 14747720.2) - (US 14/904229 )- (CN)
• Sadeghi, A. , Popova, L., Tonazzini, A., and Mazzolai, B., “Device for automatic and non-destructive environments penetration” FI2013A000101
• Sadeghi, A. , Nili Ahmadabadi, M., Moradi, H., “Human Inspired Pole Climbing Robot” USPTO. Application Number 29342930

Publications

2020

• Mazzolai B, Mondini A, Del Dottore E, Sadeghi A., Self-growing Adaptable Soft Robots. Mechanically Responsive Materials for Soft Robotics. 2020 Jan 7.

2019

• Meder, F., Naselli, G. A., Sadeghi, A., & Mazzolai, B. (2019). Remotely Light‐Powered Soft Fluidic Actuators Based on Plasmonic‐Driven Phase Transitions in Elastic Constraint. Advanced Materials.
• Sadeghi, Ali, Emanuela Del Dottore, Alessio Mondini, and Barbara Mazzolai. "Passive Morphological Adaptation for Obstacle Avoidance in a Self-Growing Robot Produced by Additive Manufacturing." Soft robotics (2019).
• Mazzolai, Barbara, Alessio Mondini, Francesca Tramacere, Gianluca Riccomi, Ali Sadeghi, Goffredo Giordano, Emanuela Del Dottore, Massimiliano Scaccia, Massimo Zampato, and Stefano Carminati. "Octopus‐Inspired Soft Arm with Suction Cups for Enhanced Grasping Tasks in Confined Environments." Advanced Intelligent Systems (2019): 1900041.
• Sadeghi, A., Mondini, A., Totaro, M., Mazzolai, B., & Beccai, L. A "Wearable Sensory Textile‐Based Clutch with High Blocking Force". Advanced Engineering Materials, 1900886.
• Visentin, Francesco, Ali Sadeghi, and Barbara Mazzolai. "Dynamic Obstacles Detection for Robotic Soil Explorations." 2019 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). IEEE, 2019.
• Shoushtari, A. L., Naselli, G. A., Sadeghi, A., & Mazzolai, B. (2019, May). INFORA: A Novel Inflatable Origami-based Actuator. In 2019 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) (pp. 7415-7420). IEEE.
• Sadeghi, Ali, Alessio Mondini, and Barbara Mazzolai. "A Vacuum Powered Soft Textile-Based Clutch." Actuators. Vol. 8. No. 2. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2019.
• Babu, S. M., Sadeghi, A., Mondini, A., & Mazzolai, B. (2019, April). Antagonistic Pneumatic Actuators with Variable Stiffness for Soft Robotic Applications. In 2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft) (pp. 283-288). IEEE.
• Del Dottore, E., Mondini, A., Sadeghi, A., & Mazzolai, B. (2019). Characterization of the Growing from the Tip as Robot Locomotion Strategy. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 6, 45.

2018

• Meder, F., Must, I., Sadeghi, A., Mondini, A., Filippeschi, C., Beccai, L., ... & Mazzolai, B. (2018). Natural Triboelectric Generators: Energy Conversion at the Cuticle of Living Plants (Adv. Funct. Mater. 51/2018). Advanced Functional Materials, 28(51), 1870365.
• Meder, F., Must, I., Sadeghi, A., Mondini, A., Filippeschi, C., Beccai, L., ... & Mazzolai, B. (2018). Energy Conversion at the Cuticle of Living Plants. Advanced Functional Materials, 28(51), 1806689.
• Sadeghi, A., Mondini, A., & Mazzolai, B. (2018, October). Preliminary experimental study on variable stiffness structures based on textile jamming for wearable robotics. In International Symposium on Wearable Robotics (pp. 49-52). Springer, Cham.
• Del Dottore, E., A. Sadeghi , A. Mondini, V., Mattoli, & B., Mazzolai. "Toward Growing Robots: A Historical Evolution from Cellular to Plant-Inspired Robotics." Frontiers in Robotics and AI 5 (2018): 16.
• Mishra, A. K., A., Mondini, E., Del Dottore, A., Sadeghi, F., Tramacere, & B. Mazzolai. "Modular Continuum Manipulator: Analysis and Characterization of Its Basic Module." Biomimetics 3, no. 1 (2018): 3.
• Del Dottore, E., A., Mondini, A., Sadeghi, & B., Mazzolai. "Swarming Behavior Emerging from the Uptake–Kinetics Feedback Control in a Plant-Root-Inspired Robot." Applied Sciences 8, no. 1 (2018): 47.
• Sadeghi, A. , Mondini, A., and Mazzolai. B. “A Preliminary Experimental Study on Variable Stiffness Structures Based on Textile Jamming for Wearable Robotics” International Symposium on Wearable Robotics: Wearable Robotics: Challenges and Trends.Springer, 2018. (accepted)
• Del Dottore, E., Mondini, A., Sadeghi, A. , & Mazzolai, B. (2018, April). A plant-inspired kinematic model for growing robots. In 2018 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft). IEEE.
• Babu, S. M., Sadeghi, A. , Mondini, A., & Mazzolai, B. (2018, April). Soft sucker shoe for anti-slippage application. In 2018 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft). IEEE.
• Mazzolai, B., Del Dottore, E., Sadeghi, A. , Mondini, A., & Tramacere, F. (2018). Robots that grow like plants. Bulletin of the American Physical Society.
• Del Dottore, E., Sadeghi, A., Mondini, A., & Mazzolai, B. “A continuous process of material deposition for growing robots inspired by plants” ICRA 2018, Brisbane, Australia 21-25 May 2018

2017

• Del Dottore, E., A. Mondini, A. Sadeghi , V. Mattoli, & B. Mazzolai. "An efficient soil penetration strategy for explorative robots inspired by plant root circumnutation movements."  Bioinspiration & biomimetics 13, no. 1 (2017): 015003.
• Sadeghi, A ., Mondini, A., & Mazzolai. B. "Toward Self-Growing Soft Robots Inspired by Plant Roots and Based on Additive Manufacturing Technologies."  Soft Robotics. 2017
• Mishra, A.K., Del Dottore, E., Sadeghi, A ., Mondini, A., and Mazzolai. A. "SIMBA: Tendon-Driven Modular Continuum Arm with Soft Reconfigurable Gripper."  Frontiers in Robotics and AI 4 (2017): 4

2016

• Sadeghi, A. , Mondini, A., Del Dottore, E., Mishra, A.K., and Mazzolai, B., "Soft Legged Wheel-Based Robot with Terrestrial Locomotion Abilities." Frontiers in Robotics and AI 3 (2016): 73.
• Sadeghi, A ., Mondini, A., Del Dottore, A., Mattoli, V., Beccai, L., Taccola, S., Lucarotti, C., Totaro, M., and Mazzolai. B., "A plant-inspired robot with soft differential bending capabilities."  Bioinspiration & Biomimetics 12, no. 1 (2016): 015001.
• Tonazzini, A., Sadeghi, A., & Mazzolai. B., "Electrorheological Valves for Flexible Fluidic Actuators."  Soft Robotics 3, no. 1 (2016): 34-41.
• Popova, L., Tonazzini, A., Di Michele, F., Russino, A., Sadeghi, A. , Sinibaldi, E., & Mazzolai. B., "Unveiling the kinematics of the avoidance response in maize (Zen mays) primary roots."  Biologia 71, no. 2 (2016): 161-168.
• Del Dottore, E., Mondini, A., Sadeghi , A., Mattoli, V., and Mazzolai, B., "Circumnutations as a Penetration Strategy in a Plant-Root-Inspired Robot." In Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2016 IEEE International Conference on, pp. 4722-4728. IEEE, 2016.

2015

• Taghavi, M., Sadeghi, A ., Mondini, A., Mazzolai, B., Beccai, L., Mattoli, V., (2015) -Triboelectric smart machine elements and self-powered encoder, Nano Energy (2015) 13, 92–102
• Lucarotti C., Totaro, M., Sadeghi, A ., Mazzolai, B., Beccai L., (2015) -Revealing bending and force in a soft body through a plant root inspired approach, Scientific Reports
• Sadeghi, A. , Mondini, A. and Mazzolai B., “Soft Linear Actuation by Helical Springs in a Plant Inspired Robotic Root” IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) Congress Center Hamburg Sept 28 - Oct 2, 2015.  Hamburg, Germany

2014

• Sadeghi, A. , Tonazzini, A., Popova, L., Mazzolai, B., (2014) A Novel Growing Device Inspired by Plant Root Soil Penetration Behaviors. PLoS ONE 9(2): e90139. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090139
• Taghavi, M., Sadeghi, A. , Mazzolai, B., Beccai, L., Mattoli, V., “Triboelectric-Based Harvesting of Gas Flow Energy and Powerless Sensing Applications”. Applied Surface Science, 323 (2014): 82-87.
• Taghavi, M., Mattoli, V., Sadeghi, A. , Mazzolai, B. and Beccai, L., (2014) - A novel soft metal-polymer composite for multi-directional pressure energy harvesting, Advanced Energy Materials, 1614-6832

2013

• Sadeghi, A. , Tonazzini, A., Popova, L., and Mazzolai, B., “Robotic Mechanism for Soil Penetration Inspired by Plant Root.” ICRA 2013 - May 6 - 10, 2013, Karlsruhe, Germany
• Tonazzini , A., Sadeghi, A. , Popova, L., and Mazzolai, B., “Plant Root Strategies for Robotic Soil Penetration.” Living Machine, 2013, London, July/August 2013
• Popova , L., Tonazzini, A., Russino, A., Sadeghi, A. , and Mazzolai, B., “Embodied Behavior of Plant Roots in Obstacle Avoidance.”Living Machine, 2013, London, July/August 2013
• Sadeghi , A. , Tonazzini, A., Popova, L., and Mazzolai, B, “Soil Explorer Robot Inspired by Plant Roots.” Soft Robotics 2013, July 14-19 2013, Ascona, Switzerland 2013
• Tonazzini , A., Sadeghi, A. , Popova, L, and Mazzolai, B., “Flexible Bending Actuator for a Root Inspired Exploration Robot.” Soft Robotics 2013, July 14-19 2013, Ascona, Switzerland 2013
• Popova , L., Sadeghi, A. , Tonazzini, A., and Mazzolai, B., “Intelligent Structures in Plants: Embodied Intelligence in Erodium Seed.” Soft Robotics 2013, July 14-19 2013, Ascona, Switzerland 2013

2012

• Sadeghi , A. , Beccai, L., Mazzolai, B., “Design and Development of Innovative Adhesive Suckers Inspired by the Tube Feet of Sea Urchins” Accepted in IEEE International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics June 24-27,2012 Roma, Italy
• Sadeghi, A. , Moradi, H. and Nili Ahmadabadi, M., 2012. “Analysis, simulation, and implementation of a human-inspired pole climbing robot.”  Robotica, 30(2), pp.279-287.
• 2010
• Nili Ahmadabadi , M., Moradi, H., Sadeghi, A. , Madani, A.; Farahnak, M., "The evolution of UT pole climbing robots," Applied Robotics for the Power Industry (CARPI), 1st International Conference.  vol., no., pp.1-6, 5-7 (2010)
• Bidgoly, H. J., Vafaei, A., Sadeghi, A. , & Nili Ahmadabadi, M., “Learning approach to study effect of flexible spine on running behavior of a quadruped robot.” Proceeding of International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots (Vol. 2010, pp. 1195-1201) .( 2010)
• 2009
• Jahanshahi, A., Pajouhi, H, Tamaddon, A.H., Sadeghi, A., Mohajerzadeh, S., “Enhanced UV-Assisted Vertical Etching of PET for fabrication of Micro Systems”, Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering 19: 074016. , (2009).
• 2008
• Sadeghi, A. , Moradi, H. and Nili Ahmadabadi, M. "Analysis, simulation and implementation of a human inspired climbing robot.", Proc. of 11th International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots and the Support Technologies for Mobile Machines (2008). (best paper award in the category of “Climbing Robots”)
• Sadeghi, A. , Moradi, H., and Nili Ahmadabadi, M., “A Human-Inspired Pole Climbing Robot”, IROS 2008, pp. 4199 – 4199, 2008.
• Jahanshahi, A., Tamaddon, A.H., Sadeghi, A. , Mohajerzadeh S., and Izadi, N.,“Enhanced UV-Assisted Vertical Etching of PET Suitable For the Fabrication of Plastic Micro Systems”, in Proceedings of MME2008, pp. 197-201, Aachen, Germany
• 2007
• Shariat Panahi, M., Sadeghi, A. , “Tolerance Analysis of Mechanical Assemblies Using an enhanced Virtual Joints Method” Vol. 40, No. 6, Jan. 2007, Journal of University Of Tehran-College of Engineering (Special issue on Mechanical Engineering), 2007

Research profiles

Courses academic year 2025/2026

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Courses academic year 2024/2025

Address

University of Twente

Horst Complex (building no. 20), room W108
De Horst 2
7522 LW Enschede
Netherlands

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