Chaitanya Doifode is a PhD candidate at the Christian Albrecht University (CAU) Kiel, specializing in the development of magnetoactive elastomers for robotic applications at the Laboratory of Intelligent Materials and Structures, OTH Regensburg. He earned his Joint Master’s in Polymer Technology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Surface Coating Technology from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. His previous work includes synthesizing iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) for pH-responsive drug delivery systems and exploring advanced polymer synthesis techniques. Chaitanya works under the MSCA-funded MAESTRI project and aims to develop magnetoactive materials for soft robotics, study their ageing, and evaluate their life-cycle performance for long term use in robotic systems.
Troy Baker is a PhD student in the Soft Mechatronics for Biorobotics Lab at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa. He earned a Masters of Research in Bioengineering from Imperial College London and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. At Imperial, Troy did research with electro-static actuators and volunteered with the university’s prosthetic society. His research goals involve embodied intelligence in the design of bio-inspired robotics. Troy works under the Marie Curie funded Maestri project to develop actuators for demonstrating the use of magnetic materials in robotics.
Lucija Drempetić is a PhD student at the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, working at the Department for Materials Synthesis of the Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a Master’s degree in Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry from the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. During her studies, she conducted research on cobalt complex compounds and polyoxometalates, with a focus on different synthesis approaches and characterization methods for the synthesized compounds. Lucija works under the Marie Curie-funded Maestri project in the development of magnetoactive elastomers and magnetic liquids for robotic applications.
Arne Geldof is currently pursuing a PhD in physics at the University of Ljubljana. With a Master of Science in Photonics Engineering from the Universities of Ghent and Brussels and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ghent, Arne brings a diverse academic background to his research. During his time in Ghent, he explored the fabrication of optical sensing structures in glass using a femtosecond laser. His current research revolves around developing optical response-based feedback and manipulation mechanisms to control soft robotic components made from magnetoactive elastomers.