FlexCycle at ICRA 2026

FlexCycle took part in the ICRA 2026 workshop "Emerging Paradigms in Robotic Manipulation: the Reality of Extreme Conditions", an event dedicated to exploring how robotic systems can operate effectively in challenging real-world environments characterized by uncertainty, variability, and complex physical interactions.
Organized by Virginia Ruiz Garate (Robotics and Automation Research Group Mondragon University), Maria Pozzi (University of Siena and Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia), and Francesca Negrello (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia – NuBots and JOiiNT LAB), the workshop brought together researchers and experts working on advanced robotic manipulation, perception, planning, and control.
The event focused on robotic systems operating beyond structured and controlled environments, where robots must interact with fragile, deformable, cluttered, or partially unknown objects and materials. These challenges are particularly relevant to FlexCycle, whose mission is to develop robotic and AI-based solutions for the recycling of soft and flexible materials.
Within this context, Manuel Giuseppe Catalano presented the talk "Manipulating the Extreme: From Object Grasping to Ground Manipulation", discussing approaches for enabling robots to adapt to complex and uncertain scenarios. The presentation highlighted concepts that are closely connected to the FlexCycle vision, including adaptive manipulation, robust interaction strategies, and the ability to handle highly variable materials.
For FlexCycle, these topics are directly linked to the project’s three use cases: textile garments, electrical cables, and fuel-cell membranes. Although different in nature, these materials share common challenges such as deformability, entanglement, fragility, degradation, and uncertainty, making them particularly difficult to process through conventional automation.
The workshop provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas with the international robotics community and to discuss how advanced manipulation technologies can support future applications in sustainable recycling and circular economy processes.
We would like to thank the workshop organizers, speakers, and participants for the inspiring discussions and for fostering collaboration between cutting-edge robotics research and real-world industrial challenges.