Research themes
Our research connects robotic touch, dexterous manipulation and learning with the biological principles of perception and decision-making.
Tactile sensing & robotic hands
Soft, 3D-printed tactile sensors and robotic hands with vision-based sensing of contact, force and shear.
Dexterous manipulation & robot learning
Touch-guided control and learning, from tactile grasping to bimanual manipulation and in-hand rotation.
Selected publications
Tactile SoftHand-A
Li et al. · IJRR (2026)
A 3D-printed anthropomorphic hand combines adaptive mechanics and tactile feedback to respond to contact and slip.
NeuralTouch
Lin et al. · IEEE/ASME TMECH (2026)
Neural descriptors and tactile feedback refine grasp alignment for tasks including plug insertion and opening bottle lids.
Pose-and-shear tactile servoing
Lloyd & Lepora · IJRR (2024)
Contact pose and shear guide robots as they track objects, follow surfaces and push objects through touch.
Tactile Model-O Hand
James et al. · Soft Robotics (2021)
A 3D-printed three-fingered hand integrates TacTip sensors to classify objects and predict grasp success.
Shear-based grasp control
Ford et al. · IEEE Transactions on Robotics (2025)
A tactile robot hand adjusts its grasp to handle delicate objects, pour liquids and follow human-guided movements.
Publications
Browse the complete archive below. Expand More robotics papers and Other collaborations to browse the complete archive.
Robotics
2026
Tactile robotics: Past and future
N Lepora (2026) The International Journal of Robotics Research
Tactile SoftHand-A: 3D-printed, tactile, highly underactuated, anthropomorphic robot hand with an antagonistic tendon mechanism
H Li, C Ford, C Lu, Y Lin, M Bianchi, M Catalano, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2026) The International Journal of Robotics Research
Paper (open access) Preprint Project Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →NeuralTouch: Neural descriptors for precise sim-to-real tactile robot control
Y Lin, B Deng, K Pu, C Lu, M Yang, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2026) IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics
Training tactile sensors to learn force sensing from each other
Z Chen, N Ou, X Zhang, Z Wu, Y Zhao, Y Wang, E Spyrakos-Papastavridis, N Lepora, L Jamone, J Deng, S Luo (2026) Nature Communications
More robotics papers · 5 publications
SoftHand Model-W: A 3D-printed, anthropomorphic, underactuated robot hand with integrated wrist and carpal tunnel
D Merritt, C Ford, H Li, M Smith, Z Chen, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2026) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
TacFinRay: Soft tactile fin-ray finger with indirect tactile sensing for robust grasping
S Nam, B Deng, L Lee, J Rossiter, N Lepora (2026) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →TacPulse: Pulse measurement via vision-based tactile sensing
B Guan, X Guo, N Lepora, E Psomopoulou (2026) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Towards artificial nerves: Biomimetic optical-fiber tactile sensing for robots
L Butcher, C Ford, N Lepora, E Psomopoulou (2026) arXiv preprint
How to train your tactile model: Tactile perception with multi-fingered robot hands
C Ford, K Shi, L Butcher, N Lepora, E Psomopoulou (2026) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Other collaborations · 4 publications
Feeling the pinch: Differentiating thin materials with a soft vision-based tactile sensor
C Liu, L Lee, S Nam, S Terrile, N Lepora, J Rossiter (2026) 2026 IEEE 9th International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)
Omnidirectional dual-arm aerial manipulator with proprioceptive contact localization for landing on slanted roofs
M Brummelhuis, N Lepora, S Hamaza (2026) arXiv preprint
UniForce: A unified latent force model for robot manipulation with diverse tactile sensors
Z Chen, F Ni, K Luo, Z Wu, X Zhang, E Spyrakos-Papastavridis, L Jamone, N Lepora, J Deng, S Luo (2026) arXiv preprint
Fin-A-Rays: Expanding soft gripper compliance via discrete arrays of flexible structures
L Lee, S Terrile, S Nam, T Liang, N Lepora, J Rossiter (2026) Soft Robotics
2025
IEEE Transactions on Robotics — Special Issue on Tactile Robotics · 5 publications
Guest editorial special collection on tactile robotics
S Luo, N Lepora, W Yuan, K Althoefer, G Cheng, R Dahiya (2025) IEEE Transactions on Robotics
Tactile robotics: An outlook
S Luo, N Lepora, W Yuan, K Althoefer, G Cheng, R Dahiya (2025) IEEE Transactions on Robotics
Shear-based grasp control for multi-fingered underactuated tactile robotic hands
C Ford, H Li, M Catalano, M Bianchi, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2025) IEEE Transactions on Robotics
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Integrating human-like impedance regulation and model-based approaches for compliance discrimination via biomimetic optical tactile sensors
G Pagnanelli, L Zinelli, N Lepora, M Catalano, A Bicchi, M Bianchi (2025) IEEE Transactions on Robotics
Design and benchmarking of a multi-modality sensor for robotic manipulation with GAN-based cross-modality interpretation
D Zhang, W Fan, J Lin, H Li, Q Cong, W Liu, N Lepora, S Luo (2025) IEEE Transactions on Robotics
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Educational SoftHand-A: Building an anthropomorphic hand with soft synergies using LEGO MINDSTORMS
J Lepora, H Li, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2025) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Classification of vision-based tactile sensors: A review
H Li, Y Lin, C Lu, M Yang, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2025) IEEE Sensors
StereoTacTip: Vision-based tactile sensing with biomimetic skin-marker arrangements
C Lu, K Tang, X Hui, H Li, S Nam, N Lepora (2025) IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics
SimShear: Sim-to-real shear-based tactile servoing
K Freud, Y Lin, N Lepora (2025) Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL)
Paper (open access) Preprint Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Text2Touch: Tactile in-hand manipulation with LLM-designed reward functions
H Field, M Yang, Y Lin, E Psomopoulou, D Barton, N Lepora (2025) Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL)
Paper (open access) Preprint Project Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Other collaborations · 7 publications
Data-driven compliance discrimination via biomimetic soft optical tactile sensors: Implementation and benchmarking with a model-based approach
P Susini, G Pagnanelli, S Nam, N Lepora, M Bianchi (2025) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Snap-it, tap-it, splat-it: Tactile-informed 3D Gaussian splatting for reconstructing challenging surfaces
M Comi, A Tonioni, M Yang, J Tremblay, V Blukis, Y Lin, N Lepora, L Aitchison (2025). International Conference on 3D Vision (3DV)
Enabling intrinsic tactile sensing with soft optical tactile sensors
L Marcello, G Pagnanelli, N Lepora, M Bianchi (2025) 33rd Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED)
ViTacGen: Robotic pushing with vision-to-touch generation
Z Wu, Y Lin, Y Zhao, X Zhang, Z Chen, N Lepora, S Luo (2025) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
A neuromorphic tactile system for reliable Braille reading in noisy environments
X Xu, N Lepora, B Ward-Cherrier (2025) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
IQM-Vis: A user-centric Python toolbox for visualising and evaluating image quality metrics
M Clifford, A Hepburn, R Kleinlein, J Vila-Tomás, P Hernández-Cámara, P Dauden, N Lepora, V Laparra, R Santos-Rodríguez (2025) SoftwareX
Mass estimation using supervised learning with a tactile robotic hand
M Cheruvary, N Lepora, M Yang (2025) International Conference on Robotic Computing and Communication (RoboticCC)
2024
The future lies in a pair of tactile hands
N Lepora (2024) Science Robotics
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Pose and shear-based tactile servoing
J Lloyd, N Lepora (2024) International Journal of Robotics Research
Paper (open access) Preprint Project Journal cover Technical report Video
Cover image: IJRR Vol 43 (7) June 2024
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →DexiTac: Soft dexterous tactile gripping
C Lu, K Tang, M Yang, T Yue, H Li, N Lepora (2024) IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →TouchSDF: A DeepSDF approach for 3D shape reconstruction using vision-based tactile sensing
M Comi, Y Lin, A Church, A Tonieni, L Aitcheson, N Lepora (2024) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
AnyRotate: Gravity-invariant in-hand object rotation with sim-to-real touch
M Yang, C Lu, A Church, Y Lin, C Ford, H Li, E Psomopoulou, D Barton, N Lepora (2024) Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL)
Paper (open access) Preprint Project Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →More robotics papers · 5 publications
BioTacTip: A soft biomimetic optical tactile sensor for efficient 3D contact localization and 3D force estimation
H Li, S Nam, Z Lu, C Yang, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2024) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Paper Preprint Poster award Video
Best poster award: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) 2024 ViTac Workshop
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Tactile control for object tracking and dynamic contour following
K Aquilina, D Barton, N Lepora (2024) Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Coarse-to-fine robotic pushing using touch, vision and proprioception
B Deng, Y Lin, M Yang, N Lepora (2024) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →TacPalm: A soft gripper with a biomimetic optical tactile palm for stable precise grasping
X Zhang, T Yang, D Zhang, N Lepora (2024) IEEE Sensors Journal
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Softness prediction with a soft biomimetic optical tactile sensor
S Nam, T Jack, L Lee, N Lepora (2024) IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)
Other collaborations · 5 publications
Efficient tactile sensing-based learning from limited real-world demonstrations for dual-arm fine pinch-grasp skills
X Mao, Y Xu, R Wen, M Kasaei, W Yu, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora, Z Li (2024) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →ViTacTip: Design and verification of a novel biomimetic physical vision-tactile fusion sensoor
W Fan, H Li, W Si, S Luo, N Lepora, D Zhang (2024) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
TacShade: A new 3D-printed soft optical tactile sensor based on light, shadow and grey scale for shape reconstruction
Z Lu, J Yang, H Li, Y Li, W Si, N Lepora, C Yang (2024) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
A lightweight and affordable wearable haptic controller for robot-assisted microsurgery
X Guo, F McFall, P Jiang, J Liu, N Lepora, D Zhang (2024) Sensors
Self-supervised Bayesian visual imitation learning applied to robotic pouring
D Zhang, Y Zheng, W Fan, N Lepora, Z Zhang (2024) IEEE International Conference on Industrial Technology (ICIT)
2023 · 12 publications
Sim-to-real model-based and model-free deep reinforcement learning for tactile pushing
M Yang, Y Lin, A Church, J Lloyd, D Zhang, D Barton, N Lepora (2023) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Bi-Touch: Bimanual tactile manipulation with sim-to-real deep reinforcement learning
Y Lin, A Church, M Yang, H Li, J Lloyd, D Zhang, N Lepora (2023) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Paper Preprint Code Project Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →TacMMs: Tactile mobile manipulators for warehouse automation
Z He, X Zhang, S Jones, S Hauert, D Zhang, N Lepora (2023) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →More robotics papers · 2 publications
Attention for robot touch: Tactile saliency prediction for robust sim-to-real tactile control
Y Lin, M Comi, A Church, D Zhang, N Lepora (2023) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →An overview of robotic grippers
T Cairnes, C Ford, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2023) IEEE Potentials
Other collaborations · 7 publications
Tactile-driven gentle grasping for human-robot collaborative tasks
C Ford, H Li, J Lloyd, M Catalano, M Bianchi, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2023) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Model-based compliance discrimination via soft tactile optical sensing and optical flow computation: A biomimetic approach
G Pagnanelli, S Ciotti, N Lepora, A Bicchi, M Bianchi (2023) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Incipient slip detection with a biomimetic skin morphology
D Córdova Bulens, N Lepora, S Redmond, B Ward-Cherrier (2023) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Tac-VGNN: A Voronoi graph neural network
W Fan, M Yang, Y Xing, N Lepora, D Zhang (2023) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
for Pose-Based Tactile Servoing
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Digital twin-driven mixed reality framework for immersive teleoperation with haptic rendering
W Fan, X Guo, E Feng, J Lin, Y Wang, J Liang, M Garrad, J Rossiter, Z Zhang, N Lepora, L Wei, D Zhang (2023) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Visual-tactile robot grasping based on human skill learning from demonstrations using a wearable parallel hand exoskeleton
Z Lu, L Chen, H Dai, H Li, Z Zhao, B Zheng, N Lepora, C Yang (2023) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Towards Living Machines: Future trends of tactile sensing, grasping & social robotics
V Vouloutsi, L Cominelli, M Dogar, N Lepora, C Zito, U Martinez-Hernandez (2023) Bioinspiration & Biomimetics
2022 · 12 publications
DigiTac: A DIGIT-TacTip hybrid tactile sensor for comparing low-cost high-resolution robot touch
N Lepora, Y Lin, B Money-Coomes, J Lloyd (2022) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Paper Preprint Code (public copy) Hardware: digitac-design Data Project Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Artificial SA-I and RA-I afferents for tactile sensing of ridges and gratings
N Pestell, T Griffith, N Lepora (2022) Journal of the Royal Society Interface
Paper Preprint Code Data Royal Society blog article Science article
Artificial SA-I, RA-I and vibrational afferents for tactile sensing of texture
N Pestell, N Lepora (2022) Journal of the Royal Society Interface
Tactile Gym 2.0: Sim-to-real deep reinforcement learning for comparing low-cost high-resolution robot touch
Y Lin, J Lloyd, A Church, N Lepora (2022) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Paper Preprint Code Project Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →BRL/Pisa/IIT SoftHand: A low-cost, 3D-printed, underactuated, tendon-driven hand with soft and adaptive synergies
H Li, C Ford, M Bianchi, M Catalano, E Psomopoulou, N Lepora (2022) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Paper Preprint Hardware: BPI-SoftHand Project Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Mapping mid-air haptics with a low-cost tactile robot
N Alakhawand, W Frier, N Lepora (2022) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
More robotics papers · 2 publications
Semi-supervised disentanglement of tactile contact geometry from sliding-induced shear
A Gupta, A Church, N Lepora (2022) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Active inference for artificial touch: A biologically-plausible tactile control method
P Craig, L Aitchison, N Lepora (2022) Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems (Living Machines)
Other collaborations · 4 publications
Biomimetic perception, cognition, and control: From nature to robots [from the guest editors]
C Yang, S Luo, N Lepora, F Ficuciello, D Lee, W Wan, C Su (2022) IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine
Neuromorphic tactile edge orientation classification in an unsupervised spiking neural network
F Macdonald, N Lepora, J Conradt, B Ward-Cherrier (2022) Sensors
One-shot domain-adaptive imitation learning via progressive learning applied to robotic pouring
D Zhang, W Fan, J Lloyd, C Yang, N Lepora (2022) IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering
Graph neural networks for interpretable tactile sensing
W Fan, H Bo, Y Lin, Y Xing, W Liu, N Lepora, D Zhang (2022) IEEE International Conference on Automation and Computing (ICAC)
2021 · 14 publications
Tactile Model O: Fabrication & testing of a 3D-printed, 3-fingered tactile robot hand
J James, A Church, L Cramphorn, N Lepora (2021) Soft Robotics
Paper (open access) Preprint Journal cover Video
Cover image: Soft Robotics Vol 8 (5) Oct 2021
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Soft biomimetic optical tactile sensing with the TacTip: A review
N Lepora (2021) IEEE Sensors
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Watch on YouTube →Pose-based tactile servoing: Controlled soft touch with deep learning
N Lepora, J Lloyd (2021) IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Goal-driven robotic pushing using tactile and proprioceptive feedback
J Lloyd, N Lepora (2021) IEEE Transactions on Robotics
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Slip detection for grasp stabilization with a multifingered tactile robot hand
J James, N Lepora (2021) IEEE Transactions on Robotics
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Tactile sim-to-real policy transfer via real-to-sim tactile image translation
A Church, J Lloyd, R Hadsell, N Lepora (2021) Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL)
Paper (open access) Preprint Code Project Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Tactile image-to-image disentanglement of contact geometry from motion-induced shear
A Gupta, L Aitcheson, N Lepora (2021) Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL)
Paper (open access) Preprint Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Probabilistic discriminative models address the tactile perceptual aliasing problem
J Lloyd, Y Lin, N Lepora (2021) Robotics: Science & Systems
A robust controller for stable 3D pinching using tactile sensing
E Psomopoulou, N Pestell, F Papadopoulos, J Lloyd, Z Doulgeri, N Lepora (2021) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →More robotics papers · 2 publications
Towards integrated tactile sensorimotor control in anthropomorphic soft robotic hands
N Lepora, C Ford, A Stinchcombe, A Brown, J Lloyd, M Catalano, M Bianchi, B Ward-Cherrier (2021) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Uncertainty-aware deep learning for robot touch: Application to Bayesian tactile servo control
M Vazquez, N Lepora (2021) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Other collaborations · 3 publications
Spatio-temporal encoding improves neuromorphic tactile texture classification
A Gupta, A Nakagawa-Silva, N Lepora, N Thakor (2021) IEEE Sensors Journal
Real time defect detection during composite layup via tactile shape sensing
M Elkington, E Almas, B Ward-Cherrier, N Pestell, J Lloyd, C Ward, N Lepora (2021) Science and Engineering of Composite Materials
Editorial: ViTac: Integrating vision and touch for multimodal and cross-modal perception
S Luo, N Lepora, U Martinez-Hernandez, J Bimbo, H Liu (2021) Frontiers in Robotics and AI
2020 · 10 publications
Optimal deep learning for robot touch: Training accurate pose models of 3D surfaces and edges
N Lepora, J Lloyd (2020) IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Deep reinforcement learning for tactile robotics: Learning to type on a Braille keyboard
A Church, J Lloyd, R Hadsell, N Lepora (2020) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →NeuroTac: A neuromorphic optical tactile sensor applied to texture recognition
B Ward-Cherrier, N Pestell, N Lepora (2020) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
More robotics papers · 5 publications
A biomimetic tactile fingerprint induces incipient slip
J James, S Redmond, N Lepora (2020) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
A miniaturised neuromorphic tactile sensor integrated with an anthropomorphic robot hand
B Ward-Cherrier, J Conradt, M Catalano, M Bianchi, N Lepora (2020) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Walking on TacTip toes: A tactile sensing foot for walking robots
L Stone, N Lepora, D Barton (2020) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Learning to live life on the edge: Online learning for data-efficient tactile contour following
L Stone, N Lepora, D Barton (2020) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Sensing ultrasonic mid-air haptics with a biomimetic tactile fingertip
N Alakhawand, W Frier, K McAdam Freud, O Georgiou, N lepora (2020) EuroHaptics
Other collaborations · 2 publications
Sim-to-real transfer for optical tactile sensing
Z Dheng, N Lepora, E Johns (2020) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Active touch sensing in mammals and robots
T Prescott, N Lepora, B Mitchinson, M Pearson, U Martinez-Hernandez, R Grant (2020) Chapter in: ‘In the senses: A reference’
2019 · 6 publications
From pixels to percepts: Highly robust edge perception and contour following using deep learning and an optical biomimetic tactile sensor
N Lepora, A Church, C De Kerckhove, R Hadsell, J Lloyd (2019) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →A sense of touch for the Shadow Modular Grasper
N Pestell, L Cramphorn, F Papadopoulos, N Lepora (2019) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Convolutional autoencoder for feature extraction in tactile sensing
M Polic, I Krajacic, N Lepora, M Orsag (2019) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Shear-invariant sliding contact perception with a soft tactile sensor
K Aquilina, D Barton, N Lepora (2019) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Other collaborations · 2 publications
Editorial special issue on active perception for industrial intelligence
H Liu, N Lepora, A Cherubini (2019) IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering
Layup end effectors with tactile sensing capabilities
M Elkington, C Ward, B Ward-Cherrier, N Lepora, N Pestell, E Almas (2019) Proceedings of the 4th Symposium on Automated Composite Manufacturing
2018 · 9 publications
The TacTip family: Soft optical tactile sensors with 3D-printed biomimetic morphologies
B Ward-Cherrier, N Pestell, L Cramphorn, B Winstone, M Giannaccini, J Rossiter, N Lepora (2018) Soft robotics
Paper (open access) Hardware: tactip-hardware Soft Robotics Toolkit Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Slip detection with a biomimetic tactile sensor
J James, N Pestell, N Lepora (2018) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Paper (open access) Full text Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Tactile sensors for friction estimation and incipient slip detection—toward dexterous robotic manipulation: A review
W Chen, H Khamis, I Birznieks, N Lepora, S Redmond (2018) IEEE Sensors
Dual-modal tactile perception and exploration
N Pestell, J Lloyd, J Rossiter, N Lepora (2018) IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters
Active touch with a biomimetic 3D-printed whiskered robot
N Lepora, N Burnus, Yi Tao, L Cramphorn (2018) Living Machines
Voronoi features for tactile sensing: Direct inference of pressure, shear and location
L Cramphorn, J Lloyd, N Lepora (2018) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Principal components of touch
K Aquilina, D Barton, N Lepora (2018) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →TacWhiskers: Biomimetic optical tactile whiskered robots
N Lepora, M Pearson, L Cramphorn (2018) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Other collaborations · 1 publication
MultiTip: A multimodal mechano-thermal soft fingertip
G Soter, A Conn, H Hauser, N Lepora, J Rossiter (2018) RoboSoft
2017 · 6 publications
Exploratory tactile servoing with active touch
N Lepora, K Aquilina, L Cramphorn (2017) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Paper (open access) Manuscript Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Model-free precise in-hand manipulation with a 3D-printed tactile gripper
B Ward-Cherrier, N Rojas, N Lepora (2017) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Paper (open access) Manuscript Video
Video preview
Watch on YouTube →Exploiting sensor symmetry for generalized tactile perception in biomimetic touch
B Ward-Cherrier, L Cramphorn, N Lepora (2017) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Addition of a biomimetic fingerprint on an artificial fingertip enhances tactile spatial acuity
L Cramphorn, B Ward-Cherrier, N Lepora (2017) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Active sensorimotor control for tactile exploration
U Martinez-Hernandez, T Dodd, M Evans, T Prescott, N Lepora (2017) Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Object exploration using vision and active touch
C Yang, N Lepora (2017) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
2016 · 6 publications
Biomimetic active touch with fingertips and whiskers
N Lepora (2016) IEEE Transactions on Haptics
Tactile quality control with biomimetic active touch
N Lepora, B Ward-Cherrier (2016) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Tactile manipulation with a TacThumb integrated on the open-hand M2 gripper
B Ward-Cherrier, L Cramphorn, N Lepora (2016) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Active tactile perception
N Lepora (2016) Scholarpedia of Touch
Tactile manipulation with biomimetic active touch
L Cramphorn, B Ward-Cherrier, N Lepora (2016) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Other collaborations · 1 publication
Biology to technology in active touch sensing–introduction to special section
Y Visell, N Lepora, M Hartmann, V Hayward (2016) IEEE Transactions on Haptics
Foundations of robotic touch (2010–2015)
Selected early work on tactile superresolution, active touch and whisker-based sensing.
Superresolution with an optical tactile sensor
N Lepora, B Ward-Cherrier (2015) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Laid the foundation for my tactile sensing work at Bristol.
Tactile superresolution and biomimetic hyperacuity
N Lepora, U Martinez-Hernandez, M Evans, L Natale, G Metta, T Prescott (2015) IEEE Transactions on Robotics
My final work with capacitive tactile sensors underpinned my vision-based tactile sensing research.
Active Bayesian perception for simultaneous object localization and identification
N Lepora, U Martinez-Hernandez, T Prescott (2013) Robotics: Science and Systems
Consolidated my methods for collecting large tactile datasets and training robot touch models.
Active contour following to explore object shape with robot touch
U Martinez-Hernandez, G Metta, T Dodd, T Prescott, L Natale, N Lepora (2013) World Haptics Conference
Laid the foundation for my tactile control research.
Optimal decision-making in mammals: Insights from a robot study of rodent texture discrimination
N Lepora, C Fox, M Evans, M Diamond, K Gurney, T Prescott (2012) Journal of The Royal Society Interface
My final work with tactile whiskers laid the foundation for my fingertip touch research.
More robotics papers · 16 publications
Active haptic shape recognition by intrinsic motivation with a robot hand
U Martinez-Hernandez, N Lepora, T Prescott (2015) IEEE World Haptics Conference (WHC)
The robot vibrissal system: Understanding sensorimotor coordination through biomimetics
T Prescott, B Mitchinson, N Lepora, S Wilson, S Anderson, J Porrill, P Dean, C Fox, M Pearson, J Sullivan, A Pipe (2015) chapter
Active touch for robust perception under position uncertainty
N Lepora, U Martinez-Hernandez, T Prescott (2013) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Active Bayesian perception and reinforcement learning
N Lepora, U Martinez-Hernandez, G Pezzulo, T Prescott (2013) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Active Bayesian perception for angle and position discrimination with a biomimetic fingertip
U Martinez-Hernandez, T Dodd, T Prescott, N Lepora (2013) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
The effect of whisker movement on radial distance estimation
M Evans, C Fox, N Lepora, M Pearson, J Sullivan, T Prescott (2013) Frontiers in neurorobotics
Embodied hyperacuity: Shape and position discrimination with an iCub fingertip sensor
N Lepora, U Martinez-Hernandez, H Barron-Gonzalez, M Evans, G Metta, T Prescott (2012) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Brain-inspired Bayesian perception for biomimetic robot touch
N Lepora, J Sullivan, B Mitchinson, M Pearson, K Gurney, T Prescott (2012) IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Tactile discrimination using active whisker sensors
J Sullivan, B Mitchinson, M Pearson, M Evans, N Lepora, C Fox, C Melhuish, T Prescott (2012) IEEE Sensors Journal
Whiskered texture classification with uncertain contact pose geometry
M Evans, M Pearson, N Lepora, T Prescott, C Fox (2012) IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Naive Bayes novelty detection for a moving robot with whiskers
N Lepora, M Pearson, B Mitchinson, M Evans, C Fox, A Pipe, K Gurney, T Prescott (2010) ROBIO
Naive Bayes texture classification applied to whisker data from a moving robot
N Lepora, M Evans, C Fox, M Diamond, K Gurney, T Prescott (2010) IJCNN
Whisker-object contact speed affects radial distance estimation
M Evans, C Fox, M Pearson, N Lepora, T Prescott (2010) ROBIO
Biomimetics and biohybrid systems · 3 publications
A future of living machines? International trends and prospects in biomimetic and biohybrid systems
T Prescott, N Lepora, P Vershure (2014) Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication
The state of the art in biomimetics
N Lepora, P Verschure, T Prescott (2013) Bioinspiration & biomimetics
Living Machines 2012: The first international conference on biomimetic and biohybrid systems
N Lepora, A Mura, P Verschure, T Prescott (2013) Bioinspiration & biomimetics
Neuroscience
Selected papers on decision-making, reinforcement learning and sensorimotor control.
Post-learning replay of hippocampal-striatal activity is biased by reward-prediction signals
E Roscow, T Howe, N Lepora, M Jones (2025) Nature Communications
Degenerate boundaries for multiple-alternative decisions
S Baker, T Griffith, N Lepora (2022) Nature Communications
Learning offline: Memory replay in biological and artificial reinforcement learning
E Roscow, R Chua, R Ponte Costa, M Jones, N Lepora (2021) Trends in Neurosciences
Threshold learning for optimal decision making
N Lepora (2016) NeurIPS
Embodied choice: How action influences perceptual decision making
N Lepora, G Pezzulo (2015) PLoS Computational Biology
More neuroscience papers · 17 publications
Decision threshold learning in the basal ganglia for multiple alternatives
T Griffith, S Baker, N Lepora (2025) Neural Computation
Relating human error–based learning to modern deep RL algorithms
M Garibbo, C Ludwig, N Lepora, L Aitchison (2024) Neural Computation
BrainSLAM: SLAM on neural population activity data
K Freud, N Lepora, M Jones, C O'Donnell (2024) International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS)
Feature attention as a control mechanism for the balance of speed and accuracy in visual search
T Griffith, F. Townend, S. Baker, N Lepora (2023) Computational Brain and Behaviour
The statistics of optimal decision making: Exploring the relationship between signal detection theory and sequential analysis
T Griffith, S Baker, N Lepora (2021) Journal of Mathematical Psychology
Probabilistic decision making with spikes: From ISI distributions to behaviour via information gain
J Caballero, N Lepora, K Gurney (2015) PLoS one
Analysis of hand kinematics reveals inter-individual differences in intertemporal decision dynamics
C Calluso, G Committeri, G Pezzulo, N Lepora, A Tosoni (2015) Experimental Brain Research
Action discovery and intrinsic motivation: A biologically constrained formalisation
K Gurney, N Lepora, A Shah, A Koene, P Redgrave (2013) Book chapter in Intrinsically Motivated Learning in Natural and Artificial Systems
The basal ganglia optimize decision making over general perceptual hypotheses
N Lepora, K Gurney (2012) Neural Computation
Efficient fitting of conductance-based model neurons from somatic current clamp
N Lepora, P Overton, K Gurney (2012) Journal of computational neuroscience
A simple method for characterizing passive and active neuronal properties: Application to striatal neurons
N Lepora, C Blomeley, D Hoyland, E Bracci, P Overton, K Gurney (2011) European Journal of Neuroscience
Sensory prediction or motor control? Application of Marr–Albus type models of cerebellar function to classical conditioning
N Lepora, J Porrill, C Yeo, P Dean (2010) Frontiers in computational neuroscience
Nonlinear dynamic modeling of isometric force production in primate eye muscle
S Anderson, N Lepora, J Porrill, P Dean (2010) IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering
Recruitment in retractor bulbi muscle during eyeblink conditioning: EMG analysis and common-drive model
N Lepora, J Porrill, C Yeo, C Evinger, P Dean (2009) Journal of neurophysiology
Capturing dopaminergic modulation and bimodal membrane behaviour of striatal medium spiny neurons in accurate, reduced models
M Humphries, N Lepora, R Wood, K Gurney (2009) Frontiers in computational neuroscience
Evidence from retractor bulbi EMG for linearized motor control of nictitating membrane responses
N Lepora, E Mavritsaki, J Porrill, C Yeo, C Evinger, P Dean (2007) Journal of neurophysiology
Response linearity determined by recruitment strategy in detailed model of nictitating membrane control
E Mavritsaki, N Lepora, J Porrill, C Yeo, P Dean (2007) Biological cybernetics