The RESSORT Consortium

Complementary Expertise across the Soft Robotics Value Chain

RESSORT brings together 14 organisations from seven countries, combining expertise in advanced materials, sensing, actuation, artificial intelligence, design and manufacturing, robot integration, healthcare, industrial applications, certification, business development and communication. This multidisciplinary structure enables the project to connect scientific innovation with real-world requirements, validation and routes to uptake.

Partner Profiles

Each partner brings distinct and complementary expertise to the RESSORT project.

Coordinator

VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL (VUB)

About

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is home to Brubotics, the Brussels Human Robotics Research Center, a consortium of nine research labs uniting over 20 professors and 150 researchers dedicated to sustainable, humanity-centered robotics. They are affiliated with imec. Brubotics is one of the few truly interdisciplinary robotics centers in Europe, combining expertise in robotics, AI, rehabilitation and movement sciences, and eHealth to develop technologies that improve health outcomes and drive sustainable practices across industry and healthcare. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and close cooperation with industry, founding spinoffs, VUB-Brubotics develops innovative technologies that address major societal, ecological  and economic challenges.

Role in RESSORT
Project Coordinator leading the overall scientific and technical coordination of RESSORT. VUB contributes to the development of self-healing materials, self closing suction cups, 3D touch sensing and system integration, while coordinating the healthcare use case and ensuring the successful implementation, validation and exploitation of the project’s key innovations.
Key person(s) involved in RESSORT

Partners

LULEÅ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (LTU)

About

Luleå University of Technology is a Swedish technological university specialising in applied research, engineering, digital technologies and industrial innovation. The university works closely with industry and public-sector organisations to translate scientific knowledge into practical technological solutions.

Role in RESSORT
LTU leads the work package on AI-Based Control and Adaptive Behaviour. It coordinates the development of multimodal datasets, foundational AI models, uncertainty-aware control and human–robot interaction methods. LTU also contributes to sensor noise and drift analysis, digital-twin-based simulation, the resilient drone demonstrator and the open-science publication strategy.

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF DENMARK (DTU)

About

The Technical University of Denmark is an internationally recognised technical university conducting research and education in engineering, technology and applied sciences. Its expertise includes electrical engineering, photonics, robotics, materials, control systems and advanced manufacturing.

Role in RESSORT
DTU leads the maturation of the project’s core materials, actuation, and sensing technologies. It develops and validates variable-stiffness modules, supports the mechanical benchmarking of self-healing materials, and contributes to simulation, fatigue testing, and reliability assessment. DTU also develops low-level control algorithms and plays a central role in the healthcare exosuit and resilient drone demonstrators.
Key person(s) involved in RESSORT
  • Silvia Tolu, Associate Professor, co-PI, head of the NeuroRobotics Technology Lab, DTU

UNIVERSITY OF PATRAS (UPAT)

About

The University of Patras (UPAT), founded in 1964, is the third-largest university in Greece. It comprises 7 Schools and 31 Departments, covering a broad range of disciplines in science, engineering, medicine, agriculture, health, humanities, and economics. UPAT has gained international recognition for its research in areas such as health, biotechnology, environmental sciences, mechanics, electronics, informatics, and basic sciences. Several of its departments, laboratories, and clinics are recognized as centres of excellence, reflecting the University’s strong record in innovative research and international projects.

Role in RESSORT
UPAT leads the simulation and design validation of soft robotic materials, structures and systems and supports mechanical benchmarking, tactile sensing, variable-stiffness technologies, additive manufacturing and digital-twin development. UPAT also participates in the food gripper and rehabilitation exosuit demonstrators and leads the development of the RESSORT Open Toolkit, bringing together project tools, models, datasets and reusable resources.
Key person(s) involved in RESSORT

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (NTNU)

About

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology is Norway’s leading university in science and technology. Its research and education cover engineering, natural sciences, information and communication technologies and interdisciplinary innovation, with strong links to industry and the maritime sector.

Role in RESSORT
NTNU leads the project’s data governance and Data Management Plan activities. It contributes to multimodal AI models, adaptive control, digital-twin and simulation methods and the development of safe human–robot interaction. NTNU also provides facilities, maritime expertise and stakeholder connections for the resilient drone demonstrator, including inspection scenarios in confined industrial and maritime environments.
Key person(s) involved in RESSORT

FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V. (FRAUNHOFER)

About

The Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies IAPT researches additive manufacturing (AM) and advances the technology for sustainable innovations that benefit industry. Fraunhofer IAPT’s solutions reduce production costs, accelerate product development, close gaps in supply chains, and automate tasks in response to staff shortages and a lack of skilled workers.
 
Fraunhofer IAPT’s portfolio encompasses research and development across the entire AM manufacturing value chain—from unique component designs and system solutions, to processes and materials, to factory planning and virtualization. From the initial idea and feasibility to industrial implementation in new or existing production environments, Fraunhofer IAPT experts consider all aspects of the additive manufacturing route seamlessly end-to-end.

Role in RESSORT
Fraunhofer leads the work package on Co-Design, Simulation and Advanced Manufacturing. It develops multi-material additive-manufacturing processes, design-for-additive-manufacturing guidelines, automated CAD-to-print workflows and manufacturability checks. Fraunhofer also coordinates life-cycle and life-cycle-cost assessments, validates printed subcomponents, supports pre-standardisation activities and leads the project’s training actions.
Key person(s) involved in RESSORT
  • Felix Weigand, Head of Part Design Group, Design for Silicone-3D-Printing
  • Torben Dorbandt, Researcher QA & Qualification, Test stand development and qualification of soft actuators
  • Vivien Großkopf, Researcher Energy, Sustainability measures & assessment

HEALANT

About

HEALANT (formerly Valence Technologies) is a Belgian advanced-materials company developing self-healing polymer solutions. Its self-healing material platform is designed for applications such as tyres, industrial components and durable multifunctional materials.

Role in RESSORT
HEALANT co-develops the project’s self-healing polymers and supports their maturation, characterisation and mechanical benchmarking. The company contributes self-healing material solutions for soft robotic structures, suction cups, wearable components and the resilient drone. It also supports additive manufacturing, life-cycle assessment and the preparation of exploitation and intellectual-property strategies for the project’s advanced materials.

MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES SA (MELEXIS)

About

Melexis is a semiconductor and microelectronics company developing sensor and driver solutions for automotive, industrial and smart-electronics applications. Its technologies enable accurate sensing, control and interaction across a wide range of connected and intelligent systems.

Role in RESSORT
Melexis leads the development and maturation of the project’s soft 3D tactile sensing arrays. It supports the integration of tactile sensor tiles into robotic systems and investigates sensor noise, drift, reliability and long-term performance. Melexis contributes its sensing technologies to the healthcare exosuit, food-handling gripper and resilient drone demonstrators.
Key person(s) involved in RESSORT

EMBODIED AI SA

About

Embodied AI is a Swiss robotics and artificial-intelligence company developing embodied AI technologies, robotic designs and intelligent control solutions for real-world applications. Its work focuses on connecting advanced AI methods with physical robotic systems and their environments.

Role in RESSORT
Embodied AI leads the work package on Pilot Integration, Demonstration and Validation. It coordinates the definition of validation methodologies and contributes to multimodal dataset creation, foundation models for soft robots, digital-twin-based simulation and adaptive robotic control. The company also co-leads the integration and testing of the food-handling gripper and supports system-level benchmarking and TRL 7 validation.
Key person(s) involved in RESSORT

OTTOBOCK SE & CO. KGAA (OBG)

About

Ottobock is a German medical-technology company developing prosthetic, orthotic, exoskeleton and neuromobility solutions. Its products and services aim to improve mobility, independence and quality of life for people with physical limitations.

Role in RESSORT
Ottobock leads the work package on Stakeholder Requirements and Use-Case Engineering. It coordinates the translation of user needs into technical specifications and interfaces and co-leads the development and validation of the patient-specific soft rehabilitation exosuit. Ottobock also supports sensor integration, human–robot interaction, clinical and pre-clinical testing and leads the development of the project’s certification and regulatory roadmap.

J. SCHMALZ GMBH

About

J. Schmalz GmbH is a German company specialising in vacuum technology and industrial automation. Its portfolio includes vacuum-handling systems, robotic gripping solutions and clamping technologies for manufacturing, logistics and other industrial applications.

Role in RESSORT
Schmalz contributes industrial expertise in vacuum gripping, robotic handling and logistics automation. It co-develops the project’s self-closing, energy-efficient suction cup and supports component testing, manufacturability and reliability assessment. Schmalz co-leads the integration and demonstration of the adaptive food-handling gripper and provides a realistic logistics environment for system testing and TRL validation.

SAPHAI AB

About

Saphai AB is a Swedish artificial-intelligence and robotics company developing autonomous solutions based on neural networks, AI-enabled perception and object-detection technologies. Its work supports intelligent robotic and autonomous applications in industrial and operational environments.

Role in RESSORT
Saphai leads the preparation of the project’s system architectures and integration plans. It leads the resilient drone demonstrator, integrating soft materials, sensing, AI control and variable-stiffness technologies into a morphing robotic platform for inspection activities. Saphai also supports automated design workflows, sustainability assessment and system-level demonstration and validation.
Key person(s) involved in RESSORT

REGION HOVEDSTADEN — CAPITAL REGION OF DENMARK (REGIONH)

About

The Capital Region of Denmark is a public regional authority responsible for hospitals, healthcare services, health research, emergency services, environmental activities, transport and selected social services across Denmark’s capital region.

Role in RESSORT
The Capital Region of Denmark represents the healthcare end-user perspective and leads co-creation activities for the identification and prioritisation of stakeholder needs. It coordinates ethics, gender and GDPR-related activities and contributes to regulatory compliance and preliminary life-cycle assessment. REGIONH provides clinical expertise, facilities and users for the rehabilitation exosuit pilot and supports the evaluation of safety, usability, comfort and clinical relevance.

INSTITUTE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT (iED)

About

The Institute of Entrepreneurship Development is a Greek non-profit organisation based in Larissa. It promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, skills development and knowledge transfer through research, training, business-support activities and the implementation of European projects.

Role in RESSORT
iED leads the work packages on Exploitation, Certification and Business Planning and on Dissemination, Communication and Outreach. It coordinates business-model development, partner exploitation plans, intellectual-property management, investor engagement and commercialisation planning. iED also manages the project’s communication strategy, website and public content, stakeholder engagement, events, media activities and overall dissemination performance.
Key person(s) involved in RESSORT

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