Abstract

Following the successful Soft Frontier workshops at IROS 2024 and IROS 2025, this third iteration explores the evolving wearable robotics landscape, bringing together researchers from soft robotics, rigid systems, and hybrid paradigms across diverse application domains. As wearable robotics advances rapidly across multiple paradigms and applications - from rehabilitation and prosthetics to assistive technologies and haptic interfaces - there is a critical need to bridge both academic and application domains, share insights across different design philosophies and use cases, and explore synergistic opportunities for future development.

The program features leading researchers from academia and industry working across the spectrum of wearable robotics paradigms (soft, rigid, hybrid) and applications (rehabilitation, assistive technologies, prosthetics, caregiving, haptic systems). Through insightful talks showcasing the latest advances in each paradigm and application domain, and interactive discussions, the workshop aims to foster cross-paradigm and cross-domain dialogue to identify promising directions for next-generation wearable systems. A concluding panel discussion will explore how insights from different technical paradigms and application domains can inform future research directions and collaborative opportunities.

Time: TBD

Location: TBD

Organizers:

Tentative Speakers:

Call for Young Frontiers

What? Instead of a call for papers, we issue a call for young frontiers in this workshop to give young researchers the opportunity to present their systematic research, not just one paper. Organizers will select three winners from the applicants. Each winner can win a prize of 200 euros sponsored by NOKOV and present their work via a poster and a 10-minute talk. In addition, they are also invited to join the panel discussion and social dinner sponsored by NOKOV with senior researchers and industrial experts. 

Who? PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and assistant professors are welcome to apply. The Young Frontiers MUST attend in person to give the talk.

How? Applicants should send their CV and a one-page talk proposal (no format requirement) to sft.frontier@gmail.com. The proposal should describe how the applicants plan to present their work in a 10-minute talk, and systematic research related to practical applications is welcome. 

Application Deadline: May 1, 2026.

Winner Notification: May 15, 2026.

We thank the sponsorship for the young frontiers award and social dinner from NOKOV.