Click here for the poster
Aatre Research Conference (ARC) is held under the aegis of ISSS (Institute for Smart Structures and Systems). It is modelled after Gordon Research Conferences, Gelfand Seminars, and others. It offers an opportunity to gain in-depth understanding of a contemporary or emerging topic from masterclass talks by experts and through lively discussions led by other experts. There are no contributed or invited papers. Apart from a handful of speakers and discussion leaders, other attendees do not present but they are there to listen, discuss, and get enlightened. Free-flowing discussions on the chosen topic is a hallmark of ARC. This is captured in the logo with two dialogue boxes within the arc-work that forms an elephant, which symbolizes wisdom. Conversations make us wiser because we get to perceive the perspectives of others. Through complete immersion into the chosen topics of the year over two full days, the participants of ARC are expected to learn something new, to form lasting intellectual bonds with leaders and rising stars in the field, and to recalibrate their research mindset. In short, attending an ARC should be like taking a cerebral vacation.
The venue chosen for the first ARC is Hoysala Village Resort (https://www.hoysalavillageresorts.com/) located in Hassan in Karnataka, India. It offers a serene environment that is conducive to intellectual discussions. All participants are expected to stay for the entire duration of this conference, arriving by noon on February 12th and leaving on the morning of 15th February. The registration fee includes accommodation and food within the venue of the conference.
ISSS and conference organizers thank the following sponsors of ARC 2026.
The number of participants is limited to 66 and it is intended that there is 3G diversity (gender, geographical, and generational). 24 participants will be at the junior level, i.e., students and postdocs. The remaining 42 will be early-career, mid-career, and senior academics and technocrats. Accommodation at the venue will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The topics chosen for 2026 are Bionics and Biohybrids, for 13th and 14th February, respectively. Interested participants may please browse through some or all of the pre-conference reading material.
Shahriari, Dena, Dekel Rosenfeld, and Polina Anikeeva. “Emerging frontier of peripheral nerve and organ interfaces.” Neuron 108.2 (2020): 270-285. Source
Larson, Christopher E., and Ellis Meng. “A review for the peripheral nerve interface designer.” Journal of neuroscience methods 332 (2020): 108523. Source
Russell, Christopher, Aidan D. Roche, and Samit Chakrabarty. “Peripheral nerve bionic interface: a review of electrodes.” International Journal of Intelligent Robotics and Applications 3.1 (2019): 11-18. Source
Bensmaia, Sliman J., Dustin J. Tyler, and Silvestro Micera. “Restoration of sensory information via bionic hands.” Nature Biomedical Engineering 7.4 (2023): 443-455. Source
Valle, Giacomo. “Peripheral neurostimulation for encoding artificial somatosensations.” European Journal of Neuroscience 56.10 (2022): 5888-5901. Source
Shu, Tony, et al. “Mechanoneural interfaces for bionic integration.” Nature Reviews Bioengineering 2.5 (2024): 374-391. Source
Zuo, Kevin J., et al. “Electrical stimulation to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration: Update in molecular investigations and clinical translation.” Experimental neurology 332 (2020): 113397. Source
Srinivasan, S. S., et al. “On prosthetic control: A regenerative agonist-antagonist myoneural interface.” Science Robotics 2.6 (2017): eaan2971. Source
Srinivasan, Shriya S., et al. “A vibrating ingestible bioelectronic stimulator modulates gastric stretch receptors for illusory satiety.” Science Advances 9.51 (2023): eadj3003. Source
Li, Tingyu, and Shoji Takeuchi. “Advancing biohybrid robotics: Innovations in contraction models, control techniques, and applications.” Biophysics Reviews 6.1 (2025). Source
Chen, Z., et al. “Bioinspired and biohybrid soft robots: Principles and emerging technologies, Matter, 8, 102045.” 2025, Source
Kim, Min Suk, et al. “Biohybrid actuators in robotics: recent trends and future perspectives of skeletal and cardiac muscle integration.” npj Robotics 3.1 (2025): 37. Source
Raman, Ritu. “Biofabrication of living actuators.” Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering 26.1 (2024): 223-245. Source
Sun, Lingyu, et al. “Biohybrid robotics with living cell actuation.” Chemical Society Reviews 49.12 (2020): 4043-4069. Source
Bawa, Maheera, and Ritu Raman. “Taking control: Steering the future of biohybrid robots.” Science Robotics 9.94 (2024): eadr9299. Source
Park, Sung-Jin, et al. “Phototactic guidance of a tissue-engineered soft-robotic ray.” Science 353.6295 (2016): 158-162. Source
Lee, Keel Yong, et al. “An autonomously swimming biohybrid fish designed with human cardiac biophysics.” Science 375.6581 (2022): 639-647. Source
Takeuchi, Shoji. “Emerging Technology for the Biohybrid Robotics.” 2025 IEEE 38th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS). IEEE, 2025. Source
Ren, Xinzhu, Yuya Morimoto, and Shoji Takeuchi. “Biohybrid hand actuated by multiple human muscle tissues.” Science Robotics 10.99 (2025): eadr5512. Source
Morita, Tomohiro, Minghao Nie, and Shoji Takeuchi. “Tetanus-driven biohybrid multijoint robots powered by muscle rings with enhanced contractile force.” Science Advances 11.29 (2025): eadu9962. Source
Kinjo, Ryuki, et al. “Biohybrid bipedal robot powered by skeletal muscle tissue.” Matter 7.3 (2024): 948-962. Source
Kawai, Michio, et al. “Living skin on a robot.” Matter 5.7 (2022): 2190-2208. Source
Morimoto, Yuya, Hiroaki Onoe, and Shoji Takeuchi. “Biohybrid robot powered by an antagonistic pair of skeletal muscle tissues.” Science robotics 3.18 (2018): eaat4440. Source
There will be only six speakers and four discussion leaders for the two days to cover bionics and biohybrids. There will be formal discussion sessions and informal interactive sessions throughout the day from 8:30 AM to 9:30 PM with adequate breaks.
All are requested to come in traditional attire that they are comfortable with to make this first session informal and engaging, to break the ice and get to know one another.
Only 24 junior participants (students and postdocs) will be selected by a committee that reviews applications submitted before Jan. 14, 2026. Selected 24 and those on the waiting list will be informed by Jan. 21, 2026. The selected junior participants must pay the registration fee before Jan. 25, 2025, by using the payment link that will be sent to them.
Students and postdocs are urged to fill in the Google form as soon as possible.
One or two family members (who would share the room with the main participant) are welcome to attend as accompanying persons by paying the registration fee noted later on this page. Sight-seeing tours and other activities will be arranged for accompanying persons. Details and charges of those activities can be obtained from Ms. Rashmi U (rashmi@fsid-iisc.in). Accompanying persons should be registered at the same time as the main participants register. This will help in planning the activities for the accompanying persons.
The venue is about 3 h drive from Bengaluru. ISSS will arrange a bus to take participants from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to the venue on 12th February morning at 8:30 AM. Those who want to arrive on 11th February may request accommodation from IISc on a payment basis (contact person is listed at the end of this page).
It is mandatory that all participants arrive at the venue, preferably by noon but not later than 5 PM, on February 12th, 2026. A welcome session, introductions, briefing about the conference, and a cultural programme are planned for 12th evening at about 5 PM.
Hoysala Village Resort, Hassan, Karnataka
Link to explore the venue virtually.
The registration fee includes accommodation and food for three days, from 12th February noon to 15th February morning. The registration fee also covers the bus ride between IISc and the conference venue. All other expenses are to be borne by the participants. Please note that requests for refunds are not entertained.
Selected junior participants will be given a payment link to pay the registration fee and fill in a Google form.
Other participants (early-career, mid-career, and senior) are requested to register using the following Google form before January 13th, 2026.
Before filling in the form or while filling in the form, they should pay the registration fee (including those for the accompany persons) using the following QR code and note the UPI transaction number. That number and the amount paid need to be entered in the Google form.
If you do not want to pay through UPI, you can do the online bank-transfer using the following details.
Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh (IISc, Bengaluru)
Dr. Vidyashankar Buravalla (retired from General Electric, Bengaluru)
Dr. Vidyashankar Buravalla (retired from General Electric, Bengaluru) (Chair)
Prof. Santanu Talukdar (IISER-Bhopal)
Prof. Gowri Balachandar (IIT-BHU)
Dr. W. D. Selvamurthy (Amity University), (Chair)
Dr. Mahesh Panchagnula (IIT-M)
Mr. Zaman Khan (Treasurer, ISSS; STARC, Bengaluru)
Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh (IISc-Bengaluru) (Chair)
Dr. Vidyashankar Buravalla (Retired from GE-Bengaluru)
Dr. Veda S. Nagaraja (President-ISSS; Tyndall-Corke)
Prof. Rudra Pratap (Plaksha University)
Prof. Ashok Kumar Pandey (IIT-H)
Ms. Rashmi U (M2D2 Laboratory, IISc-Bengaluru)
Ms. Sumithra (Administrative Assistant, ISSS)
Mr. Harsha (Secretary, ISSS-Governing Council; CMTI-Bengaluru)
Mr. Zaman Khan (Treasurer, ISSS; STARC-Bengaluru)
Ms. Rashmi U (rashmi@fsid-iisc.in)
ISSS has initiated a Technology Award for scientists/engineers who undertake major initiatives to commercialize a product in the area of micro and smart systems. The award will carry a Citation and a Cash prize of Rs 50,000.
This award is intended to promote technology development, innovation and entrepreneurship in India in the area of micro and smart systems. This award is intended to recognize contributions made by (i) an entrepreneur who has set up, or is at an advanced stage of setting up start-ups pertinent to the general area devices or systems using micro and nano technologies and applications or (ii) someone who have championed the cause of commercialization with appropriate technology innovation, leading to a product or application.
Please note that the nominee is expected to have demonstrated maturity towards commercialization of the product or has made sustained progress towards commercialization during the recent years. Documentary proofs for claims may be included with the nomination form. Nominations for this award in the prescribed format may be sent to admin@isssonline.in by the deadline and may be made by self, head of organization or ISSS members.
Nomination by “self” should be supported by reference letters by two experts familiar with the nominee’s work. Nomination by an ISSS member or the Head of Institution should be seconded by another ISSS member or a subject expert. Nominations will be valid for up to three years.
Nomination format is available online. Nominations may be sent to admin@isssonline.in.
The winner is required to make a short presentation summarising his/her activities and receive the award at a special session at the ISSS conference. In order to keep the standards high, the judging panel may choose not to offer this award in a given year.
ISSS presents distinguished service awards to deserving individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the research and development of the Micro and Smart Systems areas in India through their academic or professional work, service to ISSS or service to national initiatives/programs. Nominees are selected solely by the Governing Council and no nominations or representations are solicited for this special honor. In the past, society have recognized the following individuals
ISSS has instituted special student awards for full time regular students in India to recognize their outstanding contributions in the area of micro and smart systems. There are separate categories for undergraduate (BSc, BE, BTech, etc) and postgraduate (MSc, MS, ME, MTech, MPhil, etc). To qualify for these awards, the student(s) should have completed the reported work during the respective academic programs.
A summary/synopsis of the research work during the tenure of the respective degree program may be sent for consideration for these awards. In the case of UG award, an individual or a team of up to four members can submit their contributions. For the UG award, a three-minute video describing the project outcome and for PG and PhD award a five-minute video describing the project outcome should be submitted.
Supervisor/guide of the student(s) is required to give an undertaking that the work was carried out during the respective academic course program for which the submission is considered. The Academic supervisor(s) of award winning students will be given a Commendation Certificate. Students of integrated degree programs may be considered for the award category based on their year of enrollment. Please note that one person will be considered only once for one category of award.
Submissions for these awards should be sent directly to admin@isssonline.in.
Award winners will be given a Memento, Cash prize as above, and an Award Certificate. The Academic supervisor(s) of award winning students will be given a Commendation Certificate.
