The Lab in Brief

SAMBA is a multidisciplinary laboratory at SISSA - International School for Advanced Studies, created through a collaboration between the Applied Mathematics and Cognitive Neuroscience groups. Its research spans mechanobiology, soft robotics, structural and material instabilities, fracture mechanics, active materials, and additive manufacturing. By combining experimental observation, mathematical modelling, and numerical simulation, SAMBA Lab addresses open problems in mechanics from a broad and interdisciplinary perspective.

Major Lab Equipment

As for the facilities that are available in the laboratory, major equipment comprises:

• Two optical motorized microscopes from Olympus, models BX 61 and IX 81, equipped for high speed imaging.
• A digital microscope from HIROX, model RH-2000, with a NPS white light confocal high resolution profilometer.
• Two CMOS high-speed digital cameras from Photron, in particular a Fastcam Nova R2 and a Fastcam Mini UX 100.
• Additive manufacturing facilities such as a Figure 4 Standalone from 3D Systems and a Markforged Mark Two 3d-printer.
• A Photonic Professional GT2 microfabrication setup from Nanoscribe based on two-photon polymerization lithography.
• A custom made setup for the grayscale photolithography of soft active materials such as polymer gels.
• An electromechanical μ-strain testing machine from MessPhysik (load capacity of 1 kN and crosshead stroke of 560 mm).
• A MCR 702e MultiDrive rheometer from Anton Paar for the mechanical characterization of soft, multi-phase materials.
• A vibration test system from TIRA, model 51144 (frequency range 2-6500 Hz, peak force of 440 N, max travel of 25.4mm).
• Modular data acquisition systems from NI with sensor-specific conditioned I/O modules for integrated, real-time applications.