Robert Katzschmann

Designer, Educator/Teacher, Engineer, Scientist, Technologist

Robert Katzschmann is an Assistant Professor of Robotics at ETH Zurich, known for his pioneering work in the field of soft robotics. His research at the Soft Robotics Lab focuses on developing innovative soft robots and biohybrid robots using compliant materials. Katzschmann's expertise lies in designing fluidic and electric drive concepts, control algorithms, and machine learning techniques for interactions with objects and living beings. His notable projects include the creation of SoFi, a soft robotic fish for marine exploration, and advanced soft robotic manipulators for object grasping. Through his contributions to academic publications and media outlets, Katzschmann showcases a unique approach to robotics, emphasizing bioinspiration and physical intelligence in the development of adaptable and versatile robotic systems.

As a scientist and educator, I build robots that safely interact with nature. Living organisms are flexible, versatile, and adaptive due to their soft, deformable, and integrative characteristics. These features inspire my robotic fish, walkers, hands, and flying machines. My robots comprise soft and rigid functional materials, and they sense the world through intelligent electronics. They can adaptively manipulate objects under and above water because the functional materials seamlessly integrate with intelligent controllers. The controllers consist of models and learning techniques that capture structural and fluidic behaviors and enable locomotion, object manipulation, and medical applications. I also make biohybrid robots by combining living materials, such as biological cells and tissue, with inanimate materials. Biohybrids are energy-efficient, biocompatible, and multifunctional.

Let’s rethink how we build machines. Most machines are use rotating electromagnetic motors to move. It was not questioned how limiting it would become to restrict ourselves to a rigid and inflexible engine that does match nature at all. Future robots are made of soft and living materials. Those robots will be adaptive and safe to use in a variety of tasks, from chores to biomedicine, to improve our quality of life. If we rethink every machine every invented for what it should actually do and not do, we could live in a world that has smoothly and quietly moving machines that safely integrate with humans and animals and that do not pollute our world with loud noises.

Aerial drones, artificial muscles, biohybrid robotics, controls, engineering, machine learning, marine life, mechanical engineering, robotic manipulation, soft robotics, technology

There is probably no better way than getting engaged with TED to spread great ideas and to come up with new creations due to the interactions once can have in this community. I applied to join TED because I would like to inspire people to build a new generation of truly safe and supportive robots that address basic societal problems such as supporting our aging population and solving food scarcity.

skiing, rock climbing, handball.