Saivimal Sridar

About

Saivimal Sridar is a leading researcher in soft robotics and wearable assistive technologies, with a focus on developing compliant, pneumatic exosuits and actuators that enhance human mobility and reduce injury risk. His most influential contribution is the invention of the "Hydro Muscle," a novel soft fluidic actuator that mimics the dynamic output, passive properties, and appearance of biological muscle (43 citations). Sridar’s work on soft inflatable exosuits has demonstrated immediate benefits for knee extension assistance during gait (40 citations) and pioneered untethered pneumatic systems using low-volume actuator composites and portable power sources (36 citations). He also developed a soft robot for water pipe inspection (35 citations) and advanced fiber-reinforced actuators with integrated stretch sensors (27 citations). More recently, Sridar has focused on adaptive back-support exosuits controlled by neuromechanical models, which provide real-time assistance for lifting unknown loads and significantly reduce lumbosacral compression forces (2025). His research bridges fundamental actuator design and practical rehabilitation devices, earning over 190 citations and establishing him as a key innovator in making soft wearable robots more autonomous, effective, and accessible for clinical and industrial applications.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Hydro Muscle -a novel soft fluidic actuator

   43 citations · 2016
2. 2
   Evaluating Immediate Benefits of Assisting Knee Extension With a Soft Inflatable Exosuit

   40 citations · 2020
3. 3
   Towards Untethered Soft Pneumatic Exosuits Using Low-Volume Inflatable Actuator Composites and a Portable Pneumatic Source

   36 citations · 2020
4. 4
   Water pipe robot utilizing soft inflatable actuators

   35 citations · 2018
5. 5
   Design and control of a 3-chambered fiber reinforced soft actuator with off-the-shelf stretch sensors

   27 citations · 2017
6. 6
   Soft back exosuit controlled by neuro-mechanical modeling provides adaptive assistance while lifting unknown loads and reduces lumbosacral compression forces

   5 citations · 2025
7. 7
   Soft Robotic Shoulder Assist Device: Towards Prevention of Shoulder Overuse Syndrome in Wheelchair Users

   3 citations · 2018
8. 8
   Adaptive Assistance with an Active and Soft Back-Support Exosuit to Unknown External Loads via Model-Based Estimates of Internal Lumbosacral Moments

   3 citations · 2023
9. 9
   Soft-inflatable exosuit for knee rehabilitation

   2 citations · 2017
10. 10
    Design, Development, and Control of a Fabric-Based Soft Ankle Module to Mimic Human Ankle Stiffness

    2 citations · 2019

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links