SSSA Italy, Tuscany

The HUB is a reference center for healthcare robotics in Italy and, more specifically, in Tuscany. SSSA is the central hub of an ecosystem of partners, including Registered Training Organisation, Research and Clinical Centers, Hospitals, Universities, SMEs, associations of industries, living labs and end-users working in the healthcare domain and using more and more robots. Most of them are giving an explicit support to the Hub from the beginning. SSSA is collaborating with all the healthcare systems in Tuscany, and the Region itself is supporting the initiative.

This is us

The core partner of this Hub is Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, specifically the BioRobotics Institute. It involves more than 200 staff member and more than 90 PhD students, exploits knowledge and technologies coming from various fields of engineering (mechanical, electronic, computer science, chemistry, materials, energy) for developing bio-applied and bio-inspired robots at several sizes (from macro to micro). The BioRobotics Institute is exquisitely positioned between robotics and bioengineering.

Surgical & Rehabilitation Robotics

The BioRobotics Institute approach consists of integrating heterogeneous competence, in order to study the theoretical and practical problems associated with the development of advanced robotic systems, mainly for healthcare. Over the course of its 20-year history, a vast wealth of knowledge in the fields of Humanoid Robotics, Surgical Robotics, NeuroRobotics, Bionics, Neural Interfaces, Assistive Robotics, Robotics for Neurore-habilitation, Gerontechnologies, Biomimetic Robotics was built and consolidated.

The DIH-HERO will be developed under the “Surgical Robotics and Allied Technologies” Area, anyhow, the entire Institute is leading top level researches and applications in the field of robotics for healthcare, rehabilitation, etc. The approach to robotics for health is nicely complemented by the expertise of other Institutes of SSSA, exploring the legal aspects related to healthcare and the management of healthcare systems.


„We will try to facilitate innovation process for small and medium companies that have difficulty in coming into contact with extra-national centers, and at the same time we will give the possibility to entities associated to our Hub to get in touch with with foreign companies and end-users.
Healthcare Robotics is a sector in which innovation and skills must go beyond regional boundaries in order to achieve true success.“

– Prof. Arianna Menciassi

Prof. Arianna Menciassi
Italy/Tuscany HUB

…Integrated Technologies for Robotic Surgery…

Invention, prototyping and clinical validation of computer-integrated/assisted collaborative robotic platforms and smart mesoscale devices as means for effective, reliable and minimally invasive diagnosis and therapy.

…Bio-Mechatronic artificial organs…

Targeted therapy means also treatment of chronic diseases and physical disabilities. This research line aims to develop technologies to support impaired organs or replace compromised functionalities (e.g. bladder, sphincters, pancreas).

…Robotic Arm for heart valve replacement…

Within a Regional Grant, the BioRobotics Institute acquired competence for the development of flexible manipulators for the delivery of artificial valves in a minimally invasive approach.

…Wearable robotics systems…

Invention, prototyping and clinical validation of wearable robots (also called exoskeletons or powered orthoses) for assisting, rehabilitating or augmenting human movements.


Our main services


Raising and access to funding support

High level commitment to scientific progress by preparing young researchers and developing scientific research programs for a smooth transition into the industrial world.

¨ Scuola Normale Superiore

¨ Scuola Universitaria Superiore Pavia


Access to end-users, clinical & lab testing

Research and clinical partners can provide testing services for validation of products at any stage of development.

¨ Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma

¨ Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana

¨ Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio per la ricerca medica e di sanità pubblica

¨ IRCCS fondazione Stella Maris

Company digitalisation

Providing companies with the required services to support the digitalisation of their own processes.

¨ MEDISDIH S.c.ar.l. – APULIAN MECHATRONICS TECHNOLOGICAL CLUSTER AND DIGITAL INNOVATION HUB

Did you know?
The examples above are just some of the great services offered in Italy and specifically in Tuscany. If you need high-end manufacturing, connection to cutting edge researchers, facilities and clinical partners, don‘t hesitate to contact us!

Contact