Postgraduate Diploma in Control of Soft Grippers and Tactile Perception
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Control of Soft Grippers and Tactile Perception. 8 modules covering ISO 10218-1, Reglamento (CE) n.º 1935/2004 and ROS 2. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Control of Soft Grippers and Tactile Perception — studying from Malta
Malta's manufacturing, logistics and digital sectors increasingly depend on automation, making robotics and control engineering relevant. Companies in electronics, pharmaceuticals, food processing and gaming use automated systems to improve efficiency and quality. Engineers with programming, sensor integration and control theory skills are sought by system integrators, equipment suppliers and in-house engineering teams. The island's small scale encourages versatile professionals who can work across mechanical, electrical and software disciplines.
Fees for Malta: €1,490 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which bodies in Malta relate to robotics and automation engineering, and is this qualification recognised?
Engineering titles in Malta are regulated through the Malta Council for Professions and the Chamber of Engineers, and industrial safety falls under the Occupational Health and Safety Authority. SEIUM Institute's qualifications are private, not official state degrees, and are not accredited by any national body. Recognition is decided by employers or the relevant body, so confirm this before enrolling.
Are there robotics and automation jobs in Malta, and would employers value this training?
Malta has a growing manufacturing, electronics and aerospace-related base, along with iGaming and technology firms that employ automation and controls engineers. Employers usually weigh experience, portfolio and technical skill heavily. Whether a private online qualification helps depends on each employer, so discussing this with them directly is the most reliable approach.
How much time does the programme require, and can I study while working full-time?
Programmes are 100% online and taught in English, and you do not need a student visa to study from home. Hours are 300 for specialist courses, 800 for postgraduate diplomas and 1,900 for master's programmes, so you can choose based on the time you have. Fees can be paid in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and you receive an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Select the appropriate type of soft gripper for each product.
Understand how the main tactile sensing technologies work.
Process tactile signals to estimate force, slip and shape.
Design grasp controllers based on tactile feedback.
Integrate proprioceptive sensors into flexible fingers.
Apply soft grippers to the delicate handling of food and fragile products.
Evaluate grasp performance using standardised benchmarks.
Who it's for
- Soft robotics engineer who wants to specialise in Control of Soft Grippers and Tactile Perception.
- Tactile sensor engineer who wants to specialise in Control of Soft Grippers and Tactile Perception.
- Manipulation software developer who wants to specialise in Control of Soft Grippers and Tactile Perception.
- Agri-food robotics integrator who wants to specialise in Control of Soft Grippers and Tactile Perception.
- Researcher in haptic perception who wants to specialise in Control of Soft Grippers and Tactile Perception.
- End-effector product engineer who wants to specialise in Control of Soft Grippers and Tactile Perception.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the food sector.
What you'll work with
- ISO 10218-1
- Reglamento (CE) n.º 1935/2004
- Reglamento (UE) n.º 10/2011
- ISO/TS 15066
- ISO 9409-1
- ISO 13849-1
- EN 1672-2
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Flexible pneumatic finger grippers1.2Granular jamming grippers1.3Electroadhesive grippers for sheets and fabrics1.4Grippers inspired by biological suction cups1.5Fin Ray effect and compliant fingers1.6Fingers with variable stiffness1.7Selecting a gripper according to the product1.8Tool changing and modularity1.9Finger materials suitable for food contact1.10Practical: comparison of grippers for fragile parts
2.1Resistive and piezoresistive sensors2.2Capacitive matrix sensors2.3Optical tactile sensors such as GelSight2.4Piezoelectric sensors for vibration2.5Stretchable electronic skins2.6Hall effect magnetic sensors2.7Integrating sensors into elastomers2.8Calibration of tactile matrices2.9Tactile sensors based on MEMS barometers2.10Laboratory: calibration of a capacitive tactile matrix
3.1Pressure maps and tactile images3.2Estimation of normal and tangential force3.3Detection of incipient slip3.4Texture recognition through vibration3.5Shape estimation through contact3.6Convolutional neural networks on tactile data3.7Fusion of visual and tactile information3.8Noise, hysteresis and sensor drift3.9Encoding of neuromorphic tactile events3.10Workshop: slip detection with learning
4.1Finger pressure control4.2Grasp force control with tactile sensing4.3Regulation in response to slip4.4Control based on curvature models4.5Adaptive grasping of deformable objects4.6In-hand manipulation control4.7Control based on reinforcement learning4.8Grasp stability under uncertainty4.9Control for manipulating fragile hollow objects4.10Laboratory: grasp force loop with a tactile sensor
5.1Embedded curvature sensors5.2Liquid metal strain gauges5.3Optical fibre and Bragg gratings5.4Shape estimation with Cosserat models5.5Observers for finger state5.6Sensorless contact detection5.7Neural networks for proprioception5.8Comparison of sensing techniques5.9Calibration of proprioceptive sensors against optical capture5.10Practical: curvature estimation with an embedded sensor
6.1Handling fruit and vegetables6.2Handling meat products and fish6.3Assembly of fragile electronic components6.4Handling fabrics and textiles6.5Robotic agricultural harvesting6.6Handling in biological laboratories6.7Service and assistive robotics6.8Materials suitable for food contact6.9Handling products with irregular shapes6.10Case study: soft gripper for strawberry harvesting
7.1Maximum and minimum grasp force7.2Success rate across varied objects7.3YCB object benchmarks7.4Finger durability tests7.5Spatial and temporal tactile resolution7.6Loop response times7.7Assessment of product damage7.8Cost and maintenance of the gripper7.9Fruit damage tests with a penetrometer7.10Case study: grasp benchmarking with YCB objects
8.1Analysis of the product to be handled8.2Design of the soft gripper8.3Selection and integration of sensors8.4Development of tactile processing8.5Design of the grasp controller8.6Prototype manufacturing8.7Tests with real objects8.8Analysis of results8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it easy to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ROS 2, PyTorch, COMSOL Multiphysics, SOFA Framework, Arduino IDE, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for gripping fruit and fresh produce without damage, calibration of tactile sensors on a test bench, and handling of fragile electronic components. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Select the appropriate type of soft gripper for each product.
Understand how the main tactile sensing technologies work.
Process tactile signals to estimate force, slip and shape.
Design grasp controllers based on tactile feedback.
Integrate proprioceptive sensors into flexible fingers.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory reading.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme consists of 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme uses ROS 2, PyTorch, COMSOL Multiphysics, SOFA Framework and Arduino IDE. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM diploma of your own on passing continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the credit recognition policy when you enrol.
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