Genoa (Italy), January 23, 2025 – The European Research Council (ERC) announced today the allocation of 134 "Proof of Concept" (PoC) grants across Europe to bring outstanding scientific research closer to practical applications. The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT-Italian Institute of Technology) is one the recipient of these grants, worth €150,000, awarded to Antonio Bicchi, a pioneer in soft robotics prosthetics for the creation of the multi-articulated SoftHand. Bicchi is the coordinator of the Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation Lab at IIT in Genoa. This new funding will support the development of a robotic arm prosthesis capable of replicating the features of a human limb, following the biological principles of soft robotics. In the project named “VSoftPro” will also participate the innovative SME qbrobotics, founded in 2012 as an IIT start-up.
The ERC's Proof of Concept (PoC) funding scheme is exclusively available to researchers who are current or past recipients of ERC grants such as Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, or Synergy grants. Today's announcement marks the second phase of the program planned for 2024, with a total investment of €36.75 million distributed across 245 projects. In this second round, 15 projects in Italy were funded, making it one of the countries with the highest number of grants, alongside Germany and the Netherlands.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, emphasized that “Europe's global standing depends on us championing scientific excellence and building a thriving community of researchers, innovators, and industry leaders”. Proof of Concept funding aims to support this vision. ERC President Maria Leptin also highlighted that “basic science is the fundament for much of the innovations we benefit from today. Therefore, with increased global competition, it’s imperative for Europe to up its game and raise investment in curiosity-driven top research to boost our competitiveness.”
Antonio Bicchi, who coordinates the Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation Lab at IIT, has received several ERC grants, including a Synergy grant in 2018 for the Natural BionicS project, focused on developing prosthetic limbs with “natural” characteristics that integrate with the central nervous system. In 2012, Bicchi's Advanced Grant marked the first of its kind awarded to Italian robotics research, resulting in the original design of the SoftHand. The invention has been used in humanoid robots and hand prostheses in collaboration with clinicians in Italy and the United States. A version of the SoftHand for industrial applications has been commercialized by qbrobotics.
As part of this latest ERC-funded project, VSoftPro, Bicchi and his team, in collaboration with qbrobotics, aim to develop a transhumeral prosthesis for upper limbs that replicates the natural appearance and functionality of a human arm, featuring user-controlled stiffness and passive adaptability to the environment. The design process will include preliminary user studies to ensure the prosthesis meets their needs and preferences.
The human musculoskeletal system allows individuals to adapt effortlessly to various tasks and environments due to its natural compliance and controllable stiffness. The prosthesis under development seeks to emulate this behaviour, enabling safe and natural interactions. Additionally, it will feature intuitive controls, allowing users to manage their bionic limb as an extension of their body. Finally, the research team will conduct a study to compare the benefits of these prostheses with stiffness control to traditional rigid models, providing valuable insights for the development of future advanced prosthetic solutions.