Avgousta Chatzidaki

Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, FORTH Institute of Computer Science

Papers

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About

Avgousta Chatzidaki is a researcher whose work lies at the exciting intersection of soft robotics and bio-inspired locomotion, with a particular focus on underwater and terrestrial movement. Her most significant contribution is the development of an eight-arm compliant robot, directly inspired by the remarkable morphology and swimming capabilities of the octopus. This work, published in 2014 and her most cited with 40 citations, demonstrated a robot capable of self-propulsion through arm movements, either independently or interconnected by a passively-compliant web. Chatzidaki further advanced this concept by modeling and experimentally validating multi-arm swimmers actuated by antagonistic SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) springs, a key step in the soft robotics paradigm. Her research extends beyond aquatic environments; she has also investigated the effects of compliance on "pedundulatory" locomotion over granular substrates, using a soft-body system that combines lateral undulations with oscillating appendages. Through this portfolio, Chatzidaki has made notable contributions to understanding how material compliance can be harnessed to create more adaptive and efficient robotic systems, drawing direct inspiration from nature’s most versatile movers.