Paolo Gidoni

About

Paolo Gidoni is a leading figure in the mathematical modeling and optimal control of soft robotics, with a particular focus on bio-inspired locomotion at small scales. His research bridges applied mathematics, continuum mechanics, and control theory to understand how soft structures—from liquid crystal elastomers to hydrogels—can crawl, steer, and adapt to their environments. Gidoni’s most influential work, “Liquid crystal elastomer strips as soft crawlers” (2015, 45 citations), introduced a foundational framework for designing untethered, stimuli-responsive crawlers. He further advanced the field by deriving optimal control strategies for rate-independent soft crawlers (2021, 22 citations), establishing necessary optimality conditions for periodic locomotion—a novel contribution to the theory of Moreau’s sweeping process. His recent breakthrough, “Light-Responsive Hydrogel Microcrawlers” (2024, 6 citations), demonstrates sub-millimeter robots powered and steered by spatially homogeneous light, a major step toward applications in microfabrication and healthcare. With a career marked by rigorous mathematical analysis and creative experimental design, Gidoni’s work continues to shape the future of soft, miniaturized robotics.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Liquid crystal elastomer strips as soft crawlers

   45 citations · 2015
2. 2
   Crawling on directional surfaces

   29 citations · 2014
3. 3
   On the optimal control of rate-independent soft crawlers

   22 citations · 2021
4. 4
   Light-Responsive Hydrogel Microcrawlers, Powered and Steered with Spatially Homogeneous Illumination

   6 citations · 2024

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links