Inaugural edition · 2026

Winter School in Soft and Continuum Robotics

There is growing interest in soft robotics, both within and outside India. This creates a need for a platform where soft roboticists can network and where the next generation can be trained. WISCr (pronounced "whisker", [ˈwɪskə]) is that platform.

This inaugural edition focuses on training aspiring roboticists and immersing them in the world of soft robotics. It is a five-day, hands-on, experiential learning residential school where 25 selected students will work in teams to model, simulate and build real soft robots, mentored by the IITGN robotics group.

WISCr — Winter School in Soft & Continuum Robotics
IIT Gandhinagar IITGN Robotics

Applications for the school are OPEN

Only 25 students will be selected for the five-day school on a rolling basis. If you are a student or a recent graduate (within the last 12 months), you are ELIGIBLE to apply!

Apply now!

Countdown to WISCr 2026 — 7 December

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Why apply

Build a soft robot, and a network around it

WISCr is a five-day school where you model, simulate and build real soft robots instead of sitting through a lecture series. You will work in a team with a mentor from the IITGN robotics group. You will also meet faculty and researchers from across India, and leave with new skills, new contacts and a clear route into research or entrepreneurship in the field.

Real hands-on work

Modelling, simulation and build on in-house robots, not a week of lectures.

Close mentoring

A team with a dedicated mentor from the IITGN robotics group.

A national network

Work alongside 24 other participants and meet researchers from across India's soft robotics community.

A route into research

Outstanding participants are considered for internships and PhD opportunities with the group.

See it in action

A glimpse into soft robots at IITGN

A short look at the soft robots from the IITGN Robotics Lab, the group behind WISCr.

Video not loading? Watch it on YouTube.

The shape of the week

The school

25 selected students, five teams, one open problem each — built on soft robots already in the lab. Each day closes with a reflection session; design thinking, technical writing and communication run through the whole week.

Bio-inspiration first

The week opens by asking what compliance buys you and where soft robots have genuinely won — before any tool or model is introduced.

Geometry, then mechanics

Configuration as a curve — arcs, frames, curvature — comes before Piecewise Constant Curvature kinematics and statics, built from pictures rather than assumed.

Every project is real

No toy problems: every team's project addresses an open problem on a robot that already exists in the IITGN robotics lab.

Mon

Why soft robots

Bio-inspiration and embodiment; tinkering with in-house robots; ROS and SOFA setup.

Tue

Geometry for soft robots

Arcs, curves, frames; a survey of current solutions; project design and BoM.

Wed

Sensing and estimation

Methods planning; applying geometry and kinematics to the team project.

Thu

Mechanics overview

PCC kinematics and statics, worked problems; applying control in SOFA.

Fri

Kinematic control

Project work; project demonstration and review.

Cross-cutting threads: design thinking, technical writing and communication are taught throughout the week, not confined to one session — and every day, however technical, closes with a reflection session.
Mark your calendar

Key dates

October 22, 2026

Rolling applications are OPEN.

November 5, 2026

Applications close, unless 25 students are selected earlier than that.

November 6, 2026

Offers go out to the selected students.

November 10, 2026

Last day to confirm acceptance by paying the registration fee.

7–11 December 2026

Days 1–5 — the school.

Apply NOW!

Selected students will be asked to pay the registration fee of ₹5,000 (excl. GST) to confirm their participation in the school. Students attending can also request for shared accommodation in IITGN Hostels. A separate link for payment and hostel request will be shared along with the offer letter.

Meet the Mentors

Coming soon.....

Frequently asked questions

If your question isn't here, reach out directly.

What is WISCr, exactly?+
The Winter School in Soft & Continuum Robotics — a five-day hands-on experiential learning school (7–11 December 2026), hosted by the IIT Gandhinagar Robotics group. This year marks it's inaugural edition.
Who can apply?+
Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students and recent graduates (degree completed in the last 12 months), from any institution in India or abroad. You do not need any experience with soft robots.
What do I need to submit?+
One online form with your basic details, your CV and a link to a 1-minute video of you talking about why you are a good fit for the program . The video does not need editing, props or polish. A phone recording is fine. Upload it to YouTube as Unlisted and paste the link.
What is rolling admissions?+
With rolling admissions there is no single results day. We read applications as they arrive and send offers in rounds while the form is open, instead of waiting for a closing date and deciding everything at once. The first round of offers goes out on October 28, 2026. In practice this means three things for you: Apply early for an earlier answer. You get a decision sooner and more time to plan travel and the pre-work. Applying early does not make an application stronger. Every application is judged on what it says, not on when it arrived. Seats can fill before the closing date. If all places are taken, the form closes early. Applications received after that may be placed on a waitlist. You may get one of three answers. An offer, a place on the waitlist, or a decision that we cannot offer you a place this time. Offers need to be accepted by paying the registration fee. The final closing date is November 5, 2026.
What does it cost?+
A registration fee of ₹5000 (excluding GST) applies to selected participants only. You pay nothing to apply.
How are participants selected?+
We read your application, watch your video, and look at your CV and your hands-on work. We are looking for curiosity and clear thinking, not polish. We also aim for a mixed group across institutions, levels of study and backgrounds, so that every team learns from different perspectives.
Is financial support available?+
This is being worked out as part of the budget. If cost is a barrier, mention it in your application or reach out directly — we'd rather know before selection than lose a strong applicant to it.
I've never touched soft robotics — can I still apply?+
Yes. Monday is built for exactly this: why soft robots, bio-inspiration and embodiment, and hands-on tinkering with in-house robots, plus ROS and SOFA setup, before anything more technical is introduced.
What will I actually build?+
In teams of five, you'll take an open problem on a soft robot that already exists in the IITGN lab from design and BoM (Tuesday) through applied geometry, sensing and control in SOFA (Wednesday–Thursday) to a demonstration and review on Friday.
What happens after the school ends?+
Outstanding participants are considered for internships and PhD opportunities with the IITGN robotics group. Everyone leaves with new skills, a team they worked with, and contacts in the soft robotics community.
Is this only for people who want a robotics PhD?+
No. It's built as genuine hands-on exposure to soft robotics first — modelling, simulation and build — and a pipeline into the group second. Whether or not research is your path, you'll leave having actually built something.

Get in touch

Have questions about the event or want to learn more? Write to us at wiscr@iitgn.ac.in.

See you here..