Harvard Biorobotics Lab
Our research focuses on the role of sensing and mechanical design in motor control in both robots and humans. This work draws upon diverse disciplines, including biomechanics, systems analysis, and neurophysiology. The main approach is experimental, although analysis and simulation play important parts. In conjunction with industrial partners, we are developing applications of this research in biomedical instrumentation, teleoperated robots, and intelligent sensors.
Meet the Lab
The Harvard Biorobotics Lab unites passionate researchers who study diverse topics in robot manipulation, human sensing, bioinspired design, and sustainable engineering.
Recent Publications
Wearable Robots
for the Real World
Need Vision
Former postdoc Letizia Gionfrida published a perspective paper on the need for vision in wearable robotic systems in Science Robotics.
Beyond Coulomb: Stochastic Friction Models for Practical Grasping and Manipulation
Former PhD student Zeo Liu discovered that frictional forces are based on a probability distribution that resembles sigmoid functions rather than a constant in Robotic and Automation Letter (RA-L.)
Tension Jamming
for Deployable Structures
Former PhD student Buse Aktas and undergraduate student Daniel Hasegawa develped novel stiffness-modulating structures based on layer jamming principles. This work was presented at the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS.)
Alumni Spotlight
Biorobotics Lab alumnus Bill Peine, PhD ’98, current Vice President of Research and Technology in Medtronic’s Surgical Operating Unit, recently visited SEAS. Read more on Bill here.
Latest News
The BioRobotics Lab recently celebrated Zixi Liu’s graduation with a PhD in BioEngineering from Harvard SEAS. Congrats, Zeo!
Four academic generations meet at ICRA 2025. Left to right: Mark Cutkosky, Rob’s PhD advisor; Rob; Aaron Dollar, Rob’s PhD student; Vatsal Patel and Kamran Shamaei, Aaron’s PhD students.
