A free-to-attend conference for people that like nonlinearities

KU Leuven, Belgium
18-19 June, 2026

Registrations are closed

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Invited talks

  • Metin Sitti

    Koç University

    “Soft-bodied shape-programmable bioinspired small-scale robots”

  • Pedro Reis

    EPFL

    “Gyrophilia: Waltzing with Instabilities to Morph Rotating Structures”

  • Corentin Coulais

    University of Amsterdam

    “Metamaterials that learn to change shape and locomote”

  • Herbert Shea

    EPFL

    “Fiber Pumps for Integrated Soft Robotic Actuation”

  • Kaitlyn Becker

    MIT

    “Mechanically programming function through form and fabrication“

  • Tomohiro Tachi

    University of Tokyo

    “Degrees of Freedom of Origami Tessellations”

  • Dominic Vella

    University of Oxford

    “Accidental actuation and soft modes in thin sheets”

  • Frédérick Gosselin

    Polytechnique Montreal

    “Handling drag and aerodynamic loads through non-linear elastic deformations: from wind on trees to parachutes”

  • Draga Pihler-Puzović

    University of Manchester

    “Beyond geometric nonlinearity in slender structures”

  • Ahmad Rafsanjani

    University of Southern Denmark

    “Tactile Perception through Fluid–Solid Interaction”

  • Benoît Roman

    ESPCI

    “Shaping through plasticity”

  • Bolei Deng

    Georgia Institute of Technology

    “Tuning Nonlinearity via Linear Waves: A Pathway to Electronics-Free Systems”

  • Ho-Young Kim

    Seoul National University

    “Extremely flexible robots”

  • Cosimo Della Santina

    TU Delft

    Talk title TBD

  • Vito Cacucciolo

    Politecnico di Bari

    “Electrofluidic Fiber Muscles: nonlinear coupling of fiber pumps and thin fluidic actuators“

  • Edoardo Milana

    Freiburg University

    “Nonreciprocal motions in soft robotics via nonlinear compliant mechanisms”

  • Trevor Jones

    Carnegie Mellon University

    “Navigating multistable networks with beams and beads”

Programme

Wed., June 17

Workshop: The future of physical control (link)
(organized seperately from the official conference)

Location: Quadrivium building - Room QDV 01.180
Campus KU Leuven Celestijnenlaan 200, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium

12:30 - 1:00 pm
Welcome / doors open

1:00 pm - 6:15pm
Workshop

Thurs., June 18

Location: KU Leuven University Hall - Room “promotiezaal“
Naamsestraat 22, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

8:15am-9am

Registration

Welcome
Metin Sitti
Benoît Roman
Vito Cacucciolo
Ho-Young Kim

Break

Pedro Reis
Kaitlyn Becker
Frédérick Gosselin
Edoardo Milana

Invited talks

9am-1:00pm

9:00
9:10
9:35
10:00
10:25

10:50

11:20
11:45
12:10
12:35

1pm-2:30pm

Lunch

2:30-4:30pm

Poster Session

We invite everyone, from seasoned expert to curious beginner, to present their latest research. Step up, showcase your insights, and connect with a vibrant community!

4:30pm-7pm

Social activity

Join us for an unforgettable activity that will take us through the city center of Leuven.

Friday, June 19

Location: KU Leuven University Hall - Room “promotiezaal“
Naamsestraat 22, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

8:15am-9am

Registration

Herbert Shea
Corentin Coulais
Dominic Vella
Draga Pihler-Puzovic
Bolei Deng

Break

Tomohiro Tachi
Cosimo Della Santina
Ahmad Rafsanjani
Trevor Jones

9am-1:15pm

Invited talks

9:00
9:25
9:50
10:15
10:40

11:05

11:35
12:00
12:25
12:50

1:15-2:45pm

Lunch

3pm-5pm

Poster Session

We invite everyone, from seasoned expert to curious beginner, to present their latest research. Step up, showcase your insights, and connect with a vibrant community!

5pm-7pm

Reception

We invite all presenters (oral and poster) for a closing reception.

Practical Information

 

All sessions (on Thursday and Friday, June 18 and 19) are organized in the “Promotiezaal”:
KULeuven University Hall,
Naamsestraat 22, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Workshop: The future of physical control (on Wednesday June 17) is in “Room QDV 01.180”:
Quadrivium Building, Campus KU Leuven
Celestijnenlaan 200, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium

The venue

Duration: 25 min. (20 min. talk + 5min questions)
Please use your own laptop to present.

Invited talks

We strive to create a poster session where everybody can present, so preliminary results are highly appreciated!

Poster size: A1 (we will provide things to hang them)

Registration: The registration button at the top of this page also leads to a page to indicate if you are presenting a poster.

We hope to accommodate everybody to present a poster!

Posters session

A leisurely activity to get to know each other, no special things required!

Networking activity