Associate Professor at King’s College London – S1.26 Strand Campus
+44 7429230978
antonio.forte@kcl.ac.uk
About me
I am Associate Professor (UK Senior Lecturer) at King’s College London, in the Department of Engineering. I am currently UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and I was previously a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow in the Bertoldi’s group at Harvard university.
I am an engineer who focuses on the design of architected materials, spanning from deployable origami structures to soft robotic actuators. While my research questions are quite varied, a common theme is the optimization of design-driven approaches to embed functionalities into materials and structures. To answer these questions, I use finite element simulations, machine learning models and experiments.
Research Interests
Finite Element modeling
Engineers rely on finite element modeling as a tool to tackle a number of problems. From skyscrapers to organs, the accuracy of these models is key in the successful construction of a building or the preoperative planning of a surgery. I am applying finite element modeling to a wide range of applications, spanning from biomechanics, to kirigami and origami structures.
Machine learning
Machine learning algorithms have proven to be fundamental tool for Neuroscience and for the understanding of Nature in general. I was trained as a neuroscientist during my postdoc and I am now translating that expertise to solve engineering problems, developing parametrized forward and inverse models for the design of functional lattices, bistable structures and smart actuators.
Architected materials
Architected materials are the materials of the future. Lightweight, smart and deployable, they can achieve functionalities beyond those found in nature. I am simulating their mechanical properties to better guide and optimize their design, as well as advancing techniques to fabricate them combining the use of soft materials, 3D printing techniques and tessellation approaches.
Career path
2025
Publications
(* Corresponding Author; † Joint First Authorship; Last Author)>>>>Google Scholar
M. Mousa, … & A. E. Forte*(2024). Frequency-controlled fluidic oscillators for soft robots
Advanced Science
Y. Yang, …, A. E. Forte, … & K. Bertoldi* (2024). Complex Deformation in Soft Cylindrical Structures via Programmable Sequential Instabilities
Advanced Materials
A. Rezanejad, … & A. E. Forte*(2024). Complex picking via entanglement of granular mechanical metamaterials
arXiv
A. E. Forte*, … & K. Bertoldi* (2023). Chiral mechanical metamaterials for tunable optical transmittance
Advanced Functional Materials
A. E. Forte†, … & K. Bertoldi* (2022). Inflatable origami: multimodal deformation via multistability
Advanced Functional Materials
A. E. Forte*, … & K. Bertoldi* (2022). Inverse design of inflatable soft membranes through machine learning.
Advanced Functional Materials
B. Deng†, M. Zanaty†, A. E. Forte, & K. Bertoldi (2022). Topological solitons make metamaterials crawl.
Physical Review Applied
M. C. Fernandes†, S. Mhatre†, A.E. Forte … & K. Bertoldi (2022). Surface Texture Modulation via Buckling in Porous Inclined Mechanical Metamaterials.
Extreme Mechanics Letters
A. Mazier, A. Bilger, A. E. Forte, I. Peterlik, J. S. Hale, S. Bordas (2022). Inverse deformation analysis: an experimental and numerical assessment using the FEniCS Project
Engineering with Computers
A. E. Forte†, … & K. Bertoldi (2021). MuA-Ori: Multimodal Actuated Origami.
arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.01366
L. Jin, A. E. Forte & K. Bertoldi (2021). Mechanical Valves for On-Board Flow Control of Inflatable Robots.
Advanced Science
M. Terzano, A. Spagnoli, D. Dini, & A. E. Forte (2021). Fluid–solid interaction in the rate-dependent failure of brain tissue and biomimicking gels.
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
A. Dine, E. Bentley, L. A. PoulmarcK, D. Dini, A. E. Forte*, Z. Tan* (2021). A dual nozzle 3D printing system for super soft composite hydrogels.
Hardware X
B. Deng†, S. Yu†, A. E. Forte, V. Tournat, K. Bertoldi (2020). Characterization, stability and application of domain walls in flexible mechanical metamaterials.
PNAS
A. E. Forte†, … & K. Bertoldi (2020). Kirigami-inspired inflatables with programmable shapes.
Advanced Materials
Z. Tan, J. P. Ewen, A. E. Forte, S. Galvan, E. De Momi, F. Rodriguez y Baena, D. Dini (2020). What Does a Brain Feel Like?
Journal of Chemical Education
M. Saiz-Alia, A. E. Forte, & T. Reichenbach (2019). Individual differences in the attentional modulation of the human auditory brainstem response to speech inform on speech-in-noise deficits.
Scientific Reports
G. Carpenter, …, A. E. Forte, … & S. K. Baier (2019). A study of saliva lubrication using a compliant oral mimic.
Food Hydrocolloids
G. Binkhamis, A. E. Forte, … & K. Kluk-De Kort (2019). Speech Auditory Brainstem Responses in Adult Hearing Aid Users: Effects of Aiding and Background Noise, and Prediction of Behavioral Measures.
Trends in Hearing
O. Etard, …, A. E. Forte &T. Reichenbach (2019). Decoding of selective attention to continuous speech from the human auditory brainstem response.
Neuroimage
Z. Tan, …& A. E. Forte* (2018). Composite hydrogel: A high fidelity soft tissue mimic for surgery.
Materials & Design
Z. Tan, …& A. E. Forte* (2017). Cryogenic 3d printing of super soft hydrogels.
Scientific Reports
A. E. Forte, O. Etard, T. Reichenbach (2017). The human auditory brainstem response to running speech reveals a subcortical mechanism for selective attention.
eLife
A. E. Forte*, S. Gentleman, D. Dini (2017). On the characterization of the heterogeneous mechanical response of human brain tissue.
Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology
A. E. Forte*, S. Galvan, D. Dini (2017). Models and tissue mimics for brain shift simulations.
Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology
A. E. Forte*, …& D. Dini (2016). A composite hydrogel for brain tissue phantoms.
Materials & Design
A. Leibinger, A. E. Forte, …& F. Rodriguez Y Baena (2016) Soft tissue phantoms for realistic needle insertion: a comparative study.
Annals of Biomedical Engineering
A. E. Forte, …& J.G. Williams (2015). Modelling and experimental characterisation of the rate dependent fracture properties of gelatine gels.
Food Hydrocolloids
Das Neves Borges, A. E. Forte, …& M. Marenzana (2014). Rapid, automated imaging of mouse articular cartilage by micro-CT for early detection of osteoarthritis and finite element modelling of joint mechanics.
Osteoarthritis and cartilage
Teaching & Supervision
Associate Professor (UK Senior Lecturer) – King’s College London, UK
- 3rd year module Finite Element Analysis (6CCE3FEA) ~ 80 students
- 2nd year module Design: Empowerment (5CCE2EMP) ~ 220 students
- CAD labs for the 1st year module Design: Keys to Engineering (4CCE1KEP) ~ 220 students
- Tutorials for the 2nd year course Materials (5CCE2MAT) ~ 50 students
- Supervisor Lead for MSc Robotics Group Project (7CCEMRGP)
- Supervisor UG Individual Projects for the 3rd year module (6CCE3EEP)
- Supervisor MSc Individual Projects for the MSc module (7CCEMPRJ)
- Team Project Supervisor for 1st year module Design: Making a Connection (4CCS1MCP)
Teaching Assistant – Harvard University, US (Fall 2019 semester)
- Supported teaching, prepared tutorials and graded assignments for the Computational Solid and Structural Mechanics course (ES128)
Teaching Assistant – Imperial College London, UK (Fall 2017 semester)
- Taught (alternating with Prof Reichenbach) the Statistics and Data Analysis course (BE9-MSTDA) with approximately 80 students
- Graded assignments and exams for the Statistics and Data Analysis course (BE9-MSTDA)
Teaching Assistant – Imperial College London, UK (September 2011-December 2015)
- Taught (alternating with Prof Dini) the Stress Analysis course (ME1-HSAN) with approximately 100 students (2 semesters)
- Graded assignments and exams for the Stress Analysis course (ME1-HSAN, 2 semesters)
- Led laboratory sessions for Materials course (ME1-HMATL, 1 semester)
- Conducted recitation sessions for the Mechanics course (ME1-HMCX, 3 semesters)
Supervision of Undergraduate and Graduate Students:
King’s College London, UK (October 2021 – Present)
Postdocs Junke Yao
PhD Students: Yulan Lu, Kasandra Arcovio, Ashkan Rezanejad, Mostafa Mousa, Mengxuan Li, Barakat Barakat, Michael Adlerstein, Yuxuan Wang, Mohammad Rasouli
UG Research Students: Yeji Sohn, Asma Zenagui, Mercy Yapp, Lara Jaber, Noor Hashmi
Co-Supervised several postgraduate and undergraduate students at Harvard and Imperial.
Awards
2025 – EPSRC Impact Accelerator Award
2024 – KCL Commercial Development Fund
2023 – UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship
2023 – EPSRC Impact Accelerator Award
2023 – NMES teaching award, King’s College London, UK
2022 – 2 x International student DTP (PhD scholarship), King’s College London, UK
2022 – 4 x KURF (King’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship), King’s College London, UK
2018 – Marie Curie Individual Fellowship for Harvard University
2017 – Music grant “Puglia Sounds” to perform at SXSW 2017, Austin, TX, USA
2016 – European Commission Seal of Excellence award
2013 – Italian Government, “Principi Attivi” Grant. Design of an innovative music device
2011 – Award for outstanding Thesis, University of Salento
2010 – European Commission, Erasmus Placement grant for graduate internship abroad
2010 – Fellowship SOLAR (declined in favor of internship at Imperial College)
2008 – Fellowship for Professional Master’s Programme: Wireless Smart Systems
2008 – 3 x Student excellence award, Italian Government, ADISU
Other stuff
The Weird Gripper COmpany
Co-Founder of the Weird Gripper Company, Chief Scientific Officer.
TENTEN devices
Founder of Tenten Devices S.R.L.S., company that designs and manufactures innovative music devices. Tenten was awarded and funded among a competitive selection of innovative Italian start-ups in 2013.
rock Climbing
Mediocre rock climber and hiker. Pictured, my wife and I after completing the Angels Landing hike in Zion National Park, UT.