This research, conducted by the Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPi) at the University of Naples Federico II, with contributions from Oniro S.r.l. and collaborators including Alex Risso, demonstrates how Foam Additive Manufacturing (FAM) can be used to fabricate soft robotic actuators with integrated sensing capabilities. By foaming conductive TPU during extrusion, the process generates microcellular structures with up to ~42% density reduction, while enabling a stable piezoresistive response that allows the actuator itself to detect deformation and contact forces. Soft robotic finger prototypes show that these foamed structures provide greater compliance and more repeatable electromechanical behaviour compared to solid or infill-based prints, enabling lightweight actuators capable of real-time sensing during grasping tasks.
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