Diana Cafiso

Politecnico di Torino, Italian Institute of Technology

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About

Diana Cafiso is an innovative researcher working at the intersection of soft robotics, advanced materials, and bioinspired design. Her work spans two complementary domains: sustainable biomaterials and intelligent soft sensing systems, making her a versatile contributor to emerging engineering frontiers. Cafiso's most widely recognized contribution is her 2022 work on fully cellulose-based hydrogels fabricated through digital light processing 3D printing, which has garnered 47 citations — a remarkable impact for a materials science study, reflecting the growing urgency around eco-friendly, biodegradable alternatives in advanced manufacturing. This work positions her as a pioneer in sustainable biofabrication. Her more recent research ventures into soft robotics and embodied sensing. The HexSOWS project introduces a modular, optically-based tactile skin capable of discriminating pressure and strain across large surfaces — a critical challenge in wearable and robotic systems. Complementing this, her MELEGROS gripper draws inspiration from the African elephant trunk to create a monolithically integrated structure where sensing is intrinsic to the design itself, rather than an afterthought. Together, Cafiso's body of work reflects a coherent vision: building intelligent, bioinspired, and sustainable systems where material, structure, and function are deeply unified.