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About

Andrea Manuello Bertetto is a pioneer in the field of bio-inspired soft robotics, specializing in the design and dynamic modeling of pneumatic flexible actuators for unconventional applications. His foundational work on the "In-pipe inch-worm pneumatic flexible robot" (84 citations) established a benchmark for pipe inspection robotics, where he developed a comprehensive dynamic model accounting for flexibility, damping, and friction, validated through extensive experimentation. Bertetto’s contributions extend to novel continuum structures, such as the fluidic bellows manipulator, which introduced a flexible, bellows-like arm actuated by internal balloons—a design that has influenced subsequent soft gripper and manipulator research. His broader portfolio includes pole-climbing robots and aquatic propulsion devices inspired by fish tails, demonstrating a consistent focus on translating biological locomotion into pneumatic systems. With a career spanning from the late 1990s, Bertetto has advanced non-conventional robotics through both theoretical modeling and practical prototype realization, earning recognition for his innovative use of fluidic muscles and flexible structures. His work remains a key reference for researchers exploring compliant, pneumatically-driven robots for inspection, manipulation, and locomotion in constrained or hazardous environments.