Student Projects

We offer student projects such as bachelor theses, semester projects or master theses and we are also open for students' own proposals on potential students projects.

ETH Zurich uses SiROP to publish and search scientific projects. For more information visit sirop.org.

Development of Neuromuscular Biohybrid Robots

Biohybrid robots integrate living cells and synthetic components to achieve motion. These systems often rely on engineered skeletal muscle tissues that contract upon electrical stimulation for actuation. Neuromuscular-powered biohybrid robots take this concept further by integrating motor neurons to induce muscle contractions, mimicking natural muscle actuation. In our lab, we are developing neuromuscular actuators using advanced 3D co-culture systems and biofabrication techniques to enable functional macro-scale biohybrid robots.

Keywords

Tissue engineering, mechanical engineering, biology, neuroengineering, biomaterials, biohybrid robotics, 3D in vitro models, biofabrication, bioprinting, volumetric printing.

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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)

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Published since: 2025-05-28 , Earliest start: 2025-06-02

Organization Soft Robotics Lab

Hosts Badolato Asia , Katzschmann Robert, Prof. Dr.

Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Biology

Low-Voltage Soft Actuators for Developing Untethered Robotic Systems

We are building the next generation of HALVE (Hydraulically Amplified Low-Voltage Electrostatic) actuators which are flexible, pouch-based electrostatic actuators that operate at voltages 5–10× lower than traditional soft electrostatic systems. You will help us explore novel actuator geometries, ultra-thin functional layers, and new fabrication techniques to unlock scalable, energy-efficient soft robotic systems.

Keywords

soft robotics, low-voltage actuation, dielectric elastomers, electrostatic actuators, fabrication, PVDF-TrFE-CTFE, vapor deposition, CNC sealing, mechatronics, materials science

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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis

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Published since: 2025-04-07 , Earliest start: 2025-04-14 , Latest end: 2026-01-31

Applications limited to ETH Zurich , EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , Empa

Organization Soft Robotics Lab

Hosts Albayrak Deniz , Hinchet Ronan

Topics Engineering and Technology

Combined Muscle and Nerve Tissue Engineering

Engineered muscle tissues have applications in regenerative medicine, drug testing, and understanding motion. A key challenge is restoring neuromuscular communication, especially in treating volumetric muscle loss (VML). This project aims to create functional neuromuscular constructs with biomimetic innervation. Scaffolds will be made using electrospun fibers, conductive materials, and drug-loaded graphene. Muscle and nerve cells derived from iPSCs will be seeded into these scaffolds. Constructs will be tested for motion, drug response, and integration in bio-hybrid robotic systems. The platform will advance muscle-nerve regeneration, drug testing, and bio-hybrid robotics.

Keywords

Tissue engineering, innervation, neural tissue, nerve, muscle tissue, scaffold, iPSCs, muscle cells, bioprinting, biofabrication, biohybrid robotics, soft robotics, 3D printing, biomaterials, electrical stimulation, actuation.

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Semester Project , Master Thesis

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Published since: 2025-04-06 , Earliest start: 2025-04-06 , Latest end: 2025-09-30

Organization Soft Robotics Lab

Hosts Filippi Miriam

Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Biology

Develop Dexterous Humanoid Robotic Hands

Design and build dexterous human-like robotic hands with us at the Soft Robotics Lab and the ETH spin-off mimic. We will explore different possibilities of developing design features and sub-systems. The developed features shall be integrated into a fully functional robotic hand and applied to solve practical manipulation challenges.

Keywords

humanoid, robotics, hand, dexterity, soft robotics, actuation, prototyping, modeling and control, mechatronics, biomimetic, design, 3D printing, silicone casting, electronics, machine learning, control

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Semester Project , Master Thesis

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Published since: 2025-03-24 , Earliest start: 2025-01-01 , Latest end: 2026-03-31

Organization Soft Robotics Lab

Hosts Weirich Stefan

Topics Engineering and Technology

Deep Learning of Residual Physics For Soft Robot Simulation

Incorporating state-of-the-art deep learning approaches to augment conventional soft robotic simulations for a fast, accurate and useful simulation for real soft robots.

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Soft Robotics, Machine Learning, Physical Modeling, Simulation

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Semester Project , Master Thesis

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Published since: 2025-03-02 , Earliest start: 2025-03-01 , Latest end: 2026-03-01

Organization Soft Robotics Lab

Hosts Michelis Mike , Katzschmann Robert, Prof. Dr.

Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology

Computational Modeling of Muscle Dynamics for Biohybrid Robots

This research aims to advance biohybrid robotics by integrating living biological components with artificial materials. The focus is on developing computational models for artificial muscle cells, a critical element in creating biohybrid robots. Challenges include modeling the complex and nonlinear nature of biological muscles, considering factors like elasticity and muscle fatigue, as well as accounting for fluid-structure interaction in the artificial muscle's environment. The research combines first principle soft body simulation methods and machine learning to improve understanding and control of biohybrid systems.

Keywords

Biohybrid Robotics, Computational Models, Soft Body Simulation, Finite Element Method (FEM), Muscle Dynamics, Soft Robotics

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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis

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Published since: 2025-02-04 , Earliest start: 2025-02-01 , Latest end: 2026-02-01

Organization Soft Robotics Lab

Hosts Mekkattu Manuel , Katzschmann Robert, Prof. Dr.

Topics Mathematical Sciences , Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Biology , Physics

GPU Acceleration of Soft Robot Modeling: Enhancing Performance with CUDA

We are enhancing soft robot modeling by developing a GPU-accelerated version of our FEM-based framework using CUDA. This research focuses on optimizing parallel computations to significantly speed up simulations, enabling larger problem sizes and real-time control. By improving computational efficiency, we aim to advance soft robotics research and facilitate more detailed, dynamic simulations.

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Soft Body Simulation, high-performance computing, GPU programming, Parallel Computing, Finite Element Method (FEM), Multiphysics Simulation

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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis

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Published since: 2025-02-04 , Earliest start: 2025-02-01 , Latest end: 2026-02-01

Organization Soft Robotics Lab

Hosts Katzschmann Robert, Prof. Dr. , Mekkattu Manuel

Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology

Advancing Soft Robot Modeling: Integrating Physics, Optimization, and Control

We are advancing soft robot simulation with FEM and energy-based methods to model complex, adaptive behaviors. This research entails developing the framework to support diverse designs, integrate new physics models, and optimize performance, enabling enhanced control and real-world applications of soft robots.

Keywords

Soft Robotics, Finite Element Method (FEM), Physical Modeling, Benchmarking, Optimization, Multiphysics Simulation, Sim-to-Real

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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis

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Published since: 2025-02-04 , Earliest start: 2025-02-01 , Latest end: 2026-02-01

Organization Soft Robotics Lab

Hosts Mekkattu Manuel , Katzschmann Robert, Prof. Dr.

Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology

For all projects, please contact the responsible supervisor if you have questions and apply via sirop.org with your cover letter, detailed CV, transcripts, and prior publications (if you have any).

In case you have project ideas related to our research areas or research platforms, take the opportunity and propose your own project!

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