Alain Riwan

About

Alain Riwan is a pioneering robotics researcher whose career has been defined by a singular and visionary focus: the development of inflatable robotic systems for applications in hazardous and human-critical environments. Working at the intersection of soft robotics, structural engineering, and actuation design, Riwan has made foundational contributions to the field of inflatable robotics, particularly through his work on long-range manipulators intended for nuclear plant inspection and other inaccessible environments. His most influential work, "Design of a Novel Long-Range Inflatable Robotic Arm" (2013, 53 citations), established key principles for achieving high payload-to-weight ratios using pneumatic textile structures. Alongside companion studies on constant-volume inflatable joints and tendon-driven systems — collectively accumulating over 75 citations — Riwan systematically advanced both the theoretical grounding and practical manufacturing of inflatable manipulators. His 2017 work on inflatable actuators further refined the actuation side of this technology, achieving stroke lengths nearly twice the actuator's own dimensions. Beyond inflatable robotics, Riwan has contributed to medical robotics, including an active electrical orthosis for paraplegic patients and spinal surgery assistance. His career reflects a consistent commitment to lightweight, safe, and deployable robotic solutions that meaningfully expand what robots can do where humans cannot safely go.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Design of a Novel Long-Range Inflatable Robotic Arm: Manufacturing and Numerical Evaluation of the Joints and Actuation

   53 citations · 2013
2. 2
   A novel inflatable robot with constant and continuous volume

   35 citations · 2011
3. 3
   A novel inflatable actuator for inflatable robotic arms

   18 citations · 2017
4. 4
   Numerical evaluation of a new robotic manipulator based on inflatable joints

   14 citations · 2012
5. 5
   Remote handling dynamical modelling: Assessment of a new approach to enhance positioning accuracy with heavy load manipulation

   10 citations · 2008
6. 6
   Control and command of a six degrees of freedom active electrical orthosis for paraplegic patient

   9 citations · 2002
7. 7
   A Novel Inflatable Tendon Driven Manipulator With Constant Volume

   8 citations · 2011
8. 8
   A Novel Inflatable Actuator Based on Simultaneous Eversion Retraction

   3 citations · 2020
9. 9
   Projet Surgicobot : robot d’assistance à la chirurgie du rachis

   2 citations · 2011

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links