# Episode 113: Soft robotic hands - Kaspar Althoefer

- Show: [Robot Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk)
- Published: 2025-03-14
- Length: 32m
- Episode: 113
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-03-14-episode-113-soft-robotic-hands-kaspar-althoefer
- Listen: https://ukrobotics.libsyn.com/episode-113-soft-robotic-hands-kaspar-althoefer

## Summary

Kaspar Althoefer, Director of the Centre for Advanced Robotics at Queen Mary University of London, discusses soft robotic manipulators designed for healthcare and manufacturing. He explains how pneumatic and fabric-based soft hands offer compliance and tactile perception, enabling safe human-robot collaboration and delicate object handling, as seen in collaborations with Okado. Althoefer details applications ranging from minimally invasive surgery projects like Stiff Flop and Endotheragnostics to collaborative manufacturing arms developed under the 4 by 3 project.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-03-14-episode-113-soft-robotic-hands-kaspar-althoefer#t=7) Introduction: Kaspar Althoefer and Queen Mary University of London
- [2:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-03-14-episode-113-soft-robotic-hands-kaspar-althoefer#t=124) Centre for Advanced Robotics: Soft robotics, haptics, and autonomy
- [5:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-03-14-episode-113-soft-robotic-hands-kaspar-althoefer#t=358) Soft robotic hands: Pneumatic actuation and tactile perception
- [10:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-03-14-episode-113-soft-robotic-hands-kaspar-althoefer#t=637) Precision vs. Compliance: Fabric-based inflatable structures and stiffness control
- [15:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-03-14-episode-113-soft-robotic-hands-kaspar-althoefer#t=920) Applications: Prosthetics, Okado collaboration, and growing robots
- [20:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-03-14-episode-113-soft-robotic-hands-kaspar-althoefer#t=1236) Medical applications: Stiff Flop, Endotheragnostics, and palpable probes
- [24:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-03-14-episode-113-soft-robotic-hands-kaspar-althoefer#t=1444) Manufacturing: 4 by 3 project and inflatable links for collaborative robots

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Queen Mary University of London (company)
- Okado (company)
- Stiff Flop (product)
- da Vinci robot (product)
- intuitive surgical (company)
- Metronic (company)
- CMR, Cambridge Medical Robotics (company)
- Endotheragnostics (product)
- 4 by 3 (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [178. Talk to The Hand: Meet The Robots With a Human Touch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-06-11-178-talk-to-the-hand-meet-the-robots-with-a-human-touch) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [228. Harvard’s Soft Robot Gives Movement Back to ALS & Stroke Patients](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2025-09-09-228-harvards-soft-robot-gives-movement-back-to-als-stroke-patients) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [189: The Squishiness Factor](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-03-02-189-the-squishiness-factor) (Embedded.fm)
- [207. Meet The Life-saving Snake Robot](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2025-01-21-207-meet-the-life-saving-snake-robot) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Inside Samantha Johnson's quest to build robots for deafblind people](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-11-11-inside-samantha-johnsons-quest-to-build-robots-for-deafblind-people) (The Robot Report Podcast)

## Citing this page

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