**Meet the editors**

Giovanni Berselli received the Laurea degree (cum laude) in mechanical engineering from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena Italy, and the Ph.D. degree in the mechanics of machines from the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, in 2004 and 2009, respectively. He is currently an Assistant Professor with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. He was a Research Assistant with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and with Centros de Estudios y Investigaciones Tecnica de Gipuzlcoa (CEIT), Escuela Superior de Ingenieros de la Universidad de Navarra, San Sebastian, Spain. His research interests include the design and control of compliant robotic systems and smart actuators, dexterous robotic hands, and engineering methods and tools for automated systems.

Rocco Vertechy received the Laurea degree (cum laude) in mechanical engineering and the Ph.D. degree in mechanics of machines from the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, in 2001 and 2005, respectively. He is currently an Assistant Professor with the Perceptual Robotics Laboratory, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy. He was a Research Assistant with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, and a Visiting Researcher with the Robotics Locomotion Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, C A. He was engaged in research on the kinetostatic analysis and synthesis of parallel manipulators. His current research interests include the design and control of robotic systems which physically interact with both humans and unknown constrained environments, as well as of solid-state mechatronic devices which are safe, affordable, and disposable.

Gabriele Vassura received the Laurea degree (cum laude) in mechanical engineering from the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, in 1972. He is currently an Associate Professor at DIEM, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Bologna. His teaching activity is in the field of machine design, mainly focused on mechanical design of automatic machines and robots. His main interests in research are the design of dexterous robotic hands, simulation of pneumatic actuation systems, and design methodologies for automated systems.
