University of Pisa
Antonio Bicchi
Talk title
TU Delft · 14–15 September 2026
2nd Unconventional Robotics Symposium
(Un)conventional sources of inspiration: Biology, Arts, Books, and beyond
Free to attend. Informal, but serious.
Overview
What is it about?
The 2nd Unconventional Robotics Symposium is a free two-day event at TU Delft for researchers, students, and technically-minded enthusiasts who take robotics beyond its standard assumptions; through soft bodies, physical computation, embodied intelligence, nonlinear dynamics, and inspiration from biology, arts, and beyond. Free for all. No registration fee.
Key information
- Date: 14 – 15 September 2026
- Location: Delft, The Netherlands
- Contact: c.dellasantina@tudelft.nl
Why
Why this symposium exists
Academic robotics conferences are valuable — but they are also expensive, carbon-heavy, and often inaccessible. This symposium was born as a different model: a focused, free, local event where researchers and enthusiasts can exchange ideas without the overhead. No registration fee. No need to fly. Just good talks and good discussion.
Speakers
Speakers
(More to come!)
Delft University of Technology
Kunal Masania
University of Oxford
Perla Maiolino
Wageningen University and Research
Guillermo Amador
Kinetic Art Sculptures
Volkert van der Wijk
Delft University of Technology
Just Herder
Artist & creative engineer
Daniel Simu
University of Groningen
David Lentink
Delft University of Technology
Salua Hamaza
University of Applied Arts Vienna
Noor Stenfert Kroese
Schedule
Schedule
Day 1
Arts & Robotics
14 September
Workshops
Details to be announced
Early lunch + registration
Opening
Speaker
Daniel Simu
Arts speaker
TBD
Speaker
Perla Maiolino
Poster session + Coffee
60 min
Speaker
Antonio Bicchi
speaker
TBD
speaker
Volkert van der Wijk
Panel
Arts & Robotics
(Welcome) drinks
60 min
Day 2
Biology & Robotics
15 September
Welcome back
speaker
David Lentink
speaker
Salua Hamaza
speaker
Guillermo Amador
Poster session + Coffee
60 min
Speaker
Kunal Masania
Speaker
Just Herder
Speaker
TBD
Panel
Biology & Robotics
Closing + Award
Late lunch + departures
Call for posters and workshops
Poster abstract submission
Workshop submission
Posters and Workshops
Abstract submissions
We welcome poster presentations from researchers, students, and practitioners. There is also a timeslot early on the first day for workshops. If you would like to present a poster or run a workshop, please submit a one-page abstract describing your work.
Submission deadline: 21st August
Poster abstract submission
Workshop submission
Registration
Register here
Registration
Signing up is managed through a separate system. Registration is free but space is limited - sign up early.
Register here
Practical
Practical info
For people travelling from outside Delft.
Getting there
Delft is 15 minutes by train from Rotterdam Centraal and 1 hour from Amsterdam Centraal. More info on the Dutch Railways website. Public transport can be easily checked in & out with your debit card, credit card, your mobile or smartwatch. More info here.
What is included
Coffee breaks on both days are provided free of charge.
Evening
We will confirm whether there is a dinner or social event.
Accommodation
We recommend hotels in Delft city centre; campus is easily accessible by foot, bike or bus (about 5–10 minutes). Some options include:
| Name | Note | Price 2 nights |
|---|---|---|
| The Social Hub | Right next to the train station | 200€ |
| ibis Styles Delft | Right next to the train station | 210€ |
| Casa Julia | Close to campus | 220€ |
Previous edition
Previous edition
The first edition took place on 1 October 2025 at TU Delft
Recording
Watch the recordings from the first edition on Collegerama.
Organizers
Organizers
Delft University of Technology
Cosimo Della Santina
Delft University of Technology
Ebrahim Shahabi
Delft University of Technology
Davood Farhadi
Kindly supported by
Location
Location
Somewhere in Delft… More info coming soon.