Soft Robotics aims at providing state of art on research and potential approaches of soft robotics. It particularly challenges the traditional thinking of engineers, as the confluence of technologies, ranging from new materials, sensors, actuators and production techniques to new design tools, will make it possible to create new systems whose structures are almost completely made of soft materials, which bring about entirely new functions and behaviors, similar in many ways to natural systems. This is a huge research topic, "hot" and with a huge potential due to new possibilities offered by these systems to cope with problems that cannot be addressed by robots built from rigid bodies.

Nanomaterials for Theranostics and Tissue Engineering: Techniques, Trends and Applications provides information on the major methodologies for the application of nanomaterials in the medical field. In recent years, nanotechnology for medicine, commonly known as bionanotechnology, or nanomedicine, has revolutionized various types of medical treatment. This book is intended for practicing engineers and scientists, and includes detailed, readily applicable protocols. It focuses on 4 major themes, including the synthesis of nanosystems for controlled drug delivery, nanotechnology-enhanced sensing systems, the application of nanotechnologies to the synthesis of novel biomaterials, and safety issues related to the application of medicinal nanotechnology.

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Repair Strategies provides researchers the latest information on potential regenerative approaches to spinal cord injury, specifically focusing on therapeutic approaches that target regeneration, including cell therapies, controlled drug delivery systems, and biomaterials. Dr. Giuseppe Perale and Dr. Filippo Rossi lead a team of authoritative authors in academia and industry in this innovative reference on the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. This book presents all the information readers need to understand the current and potential array of techniques, materials, applications and their benefits for spinal cord repair.

This book offers a state-of-the-art overview of controlled drug delivery systems, covering the most important innovative applications. The principles of controlled drug release and the mechanisms involved in controlled release are clearly explained. The various existing polymeric drug delivery systems are reviewed, and new frontiers in material design are examined in detail, covering a wide range of polymer modification techniques. The concluding chapter is a case study focusing on use of a drug-eluting stent. The book is designed to provide the reader with a complete understanding of the mechanisms and design of controlled drug delivery systems, and to this end includes numerous step-by-step tutorials. It illustrates how chemical engineers can advance medical care by designing polymeric delivery systems that achieve either temporal or spatial control of drug delivery and thus ensure more effective therapy that eliminates the potential for both under- and overdosing.