The People Behind SMART M3S: Professor Cecilia Laschi, Principal Investigator

The Mens Manus Machina (M3S) interdisciplinary research group at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) is on a mission to revolutionise the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. From advanced solutions to intelligent systems, M3S researchers are creating technologies that make work safer, smarter, and more sustainable.

One of the brilliant minds driving this innovation is Professor Cecilia Laschi, Principal Investigator at SMART M3S. Her work on soft robotics, an area that she pioneered and contributed to, involves solving fundamental challenges for building robots with soft materials, inspired by one of nature’s most flexible creatures, the octopus, as a model for robotics.

In this feature, Professor Laschi shares her research path, what motivates her, and how she balances work with life outside the lab.

What do you do at SMART M3S?

I’m a part of the T2 team, ‘Intuitive Interfaces between Humans and Machines’, at M3S. We develop robots, specifically soft robotics, designed to enhance human-machine interaction and collaboration for different working scenarios.

How did you first become interested in your field of work, and what motivated you to pursue it as a career then?

My interest in robotics, which was a new field at the time, began during my computer science studies. For my final experimental thesis, I researched and worked on programming an industrial robotic arm to perform complex tasks. I was intrigued by the experience and fascinated by the potential of robotics, which led me to pursue a PhD in robotics.

Later, I collaborated with neuroscientists to understand the brain and apply those principles to robots. Over time, I realised that the body mattered as much as the brain — robot joints needed compliance, elasticity, and deformability. This insight inspired me to study the octopus, a creature that can swim, walk, grasp, and even change the stiffness of its arms without a skeleton. That became the foundation of my work in soft robotics, a field I’ve been deeply involved in ever since.

What is the biggest motivation that keeps you going at work now, especially during the challenging times?

I’m motivated by the fundamental challenges in robotics. Designing robots inspired by an octopus raises fascinating questions: what materials should we use? What actuators? Animals move efficiently with minimal energy and simple control systems and replicating that in robotics is challenging.

I enjoy tackling problems that seem unsolvable because they push technology forward. For instance, in Singapore, I worked on elderly assistance projects and, in M3S, we are developing soft robotic arms that remain compact when idle but extend to perform tasks like cleaning.

How does your work benefit the society/research communities?

My focus is on fundamental research, and soft robotics is now one of the main drivers of progress in robotics internationally. It attracts researchers from many areas beyond robotics, such as chemistry, physics, biology, material science, and even engineering, with original, groundbreaking achievements. I think this is having a significant impact worldwide.

Practically, soft robots enable tasks that traditional robots cannot perform. When I was in Italy, we demonstrated that compliant robots can operate underwater and walk on the seabed, reducing energy consumption through embodied intelligence. In Singapore, we developed prototypes of robotic arms to assist elderly people with standing and sitting. These were designed with input from clinical staff and tested with them, though user trials are still pending. At M3S, our robots aim to assist workers by reducing their workload.

Could you share any highlights, important projects, or milestones that you have worked on at SMART M3S?

We’ve developed several soft robotic arm prototypes for cleaning tasks. These will be integrated into a more complex system with soft grippers and mounted on a mobile platform, creating a complete mobile robotic system with sensors and cameras.

What do you hope to see happen in your research field in the next 10 years? And what excites you most about the possibilities ahead?

I’m proud that soft robotics has grown so much and that I contributed to its birth and development. What I’d like to see now is the application of soft robotics — robots performing tasks that were previously impossible — and increased industry adoption. It’s happening slowly, but I’m confident.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to enter a similar role or field of work?

Be courageous and explore new pathways, not just the mainstream. My shift from computer science and neuroscience to soft robotics was a leap into a discipline that didn’t exist at the time. I learned how octopuses work by keeping live specimens in my lab and collaborating with biologists. It was risky, but incredibly rewarding. To young researchers: take risks, it can be worth it; your success can have a big impact on society.

Balancing work and personal life can be challenging. What are your current hobbies or ways to relax?

Work has always been a major focus for me, but I’ve always loved sports. My hobbies have changed over the years, depending on where I lived. In Italy, I enjoyed sea-related sports like sailing, swimming, freediving, and scuba diving. In Singapore, I stay active by swimming in pools, practising yoga, and doing something at the gym. I also love walking around the beautiful garden city full of greenery and parks.

How do you stay motivated or inspired? Do you have a personal motto that you live by?

Research is always rewarding, even when experiments fail; it’s about learning. Of course, it can be frustrating when a good idea isn’t funded or a paper is rejected. 

After the initial disappointment, I move on and find new ways to continue the research; perhaps a clearer proposal, a different journal, or a fresh approach. Resilience is a key trait to have when it comes to research.