Interdepartmental Research Centre “E. Piaggio”

Interdepartmental Research Centre “E. Piaggio” is an Institute of the University of Pisa, working to promote and perform multidisciplinary research in the fields of Bioengineering, Robotics and Automation. The mission of the Centre is to perform research work and form research personnel for the study, design and exploitation of automation and biomedical devices. The close collaboration with other Departments of the University of Pisa allows the involvement of further researchers with expertise in analytical chemistry, medicine and sensor systems. It cooperates with private and public companies to study specific application problems which need advanced or innovative solutions.

The main research areas of the Institute include materials engineering (piezoresistives, piezoelectric polymer, polyelectrolyte gel, conducting polymer) and bioengineering: “intelligent” materials and systems for sensing and actuation (i.e. artificial senses - touch and olfaction, biosensors, pseudo-muscular actuators). The staff is composed by electronic and chemical engineers, physicists, chemists and biologists.