SAPHIR (Soft Articulated Physical-Interaction Intelligent Robots), based in the School of Engineering and Materials Science at The Centre for Advanced Robotics @ Queen Mary (ARQ), is led by Professor Kaspar Althoefer. The group conducts interdisciplinary research in robot autonomy, soft robotics, and tactile sensing, and tool–environment interaction, aiming to develop robotic systems that are intelligent, compliant, and capable of safe and effective physical interaction in real-world tasks. 

SAPHIR focuses on enabling robots to perform complex manipulation and navigation tasks through the integration of soft materials, intelligent sensing, and dynamic modelling. The team applies these technologies in areas such as robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, rehabilitation, assistive robotics, and human–robot collaboration in industrial settings.