The research paper by Tomislav Bazina, David Liović, Jelena Srnec Novak, Adelmo Šegota, Leonarda Došen, Jan Pelić, Igor Mezić and Ervin Kamenar won the Best Paper Award at the MIPRO Robotics 2026 Conference, held in Zadar.
The award-winning paper is part of the research conducted within the ASoRo project – Advanced Soft Robots: data-driven development, modeling and control (UIP-2025-02-1541). Funded by the Croatian Science Foundation, the project is being carried out at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Ervin Kamenar.
This research integrates the development and design of soft robotic systems, EMG measurement and muscle activity signal processing, alongside Koopman operator-based modeling and control, with a specific focus on applications in rehabilitation robotics. The primary aim is to establish novel approaches for more effective human-robot interaction and to develop advanced robotic actuators and systems based on the principles of soft robotics.
This year marked the first standalone edition of the MIPRO Robotics Conference, an event dedicated to robotics and related research fields. The conference brought together researchers and experts from various branches of robotics, providing a platform to present current research and foster the exchange of knowledge and experiences between Croatian and international research groups.
