Papers
25
Total Citations
2,121
H-Index
16
About
Veronica J. Santos is a pioneering robotics and bioengineering researcher whose work sits at the intersection of tactile sensing, robotic and prosthetic hand design, and human-inspired robotics. With a career spanning over two decades, Santos has made foundational contributions to biomimetic sensor technology, developing tactile sensor arrays and flexible microfluidic skins that replicate the remarkable sensitivity of human fingertips — work that has collectively garnered hundreds of citations and reshaped how researchers approach artificial touch. Her 2008 biomimetic tactile sensor array (343 citations) and subsequent flexible normal force sensor skin (251 citations) established her as a leader in soft, bio-inspired sensing systems for robotic and prosthetic hands. Santos has also advanced the fundamental science of hand biomechanics, exploring kinematic modeling of the human thumb and using simulation tools to bridge the gap between robotic and human grasping capability. Her highly cited 2017 paper on medical robotics autonomy (682 citations) demonstrates her broader influence on policy and ethics in the field. More recently, her work on haptic perception, reinforcement learning, and elastohydrodynamic friction reflects a continued drive to endow robots with human-like dexterity and intelligence — making her research essential reading for anyone working on next-generation robotic manipulation.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Biomimetic Tactile Sensor Array343 citations · 2008
- 3Flexible microfluidic normal force sensor skin for tactile feedback251 citations · 2012
- 4The Human Hand as an Inspiration for Robot Hand Development143 citations · 2014
- 5
- 6A robust micro-vibration sensor for biomimetic fingertips95 citations · 2008
- 7
- 8Bioinspired flexible microfluidic shear force sensor skin70 citations · 2017
- 9
- 10