Scott Kuindersma

About

Scott Kuindersma is a robotics researcher whose work spans legged locomotion, trajectory optimization, wearable robotics, and robot learning — fields in which he has made lasting and influential contributions. He is perhaps best known for leading the optimization-based planning and control framework developed for Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot, a landmark achievement that has garnered over 800 citations and remains a cornerstone reference in humanoid robotics. His interdisciplinary reach extends into human augmentation, with his highly cited work on human-in-the-loop optimization of soft exosuits (615 citations) demonstrating how personalized controllers can meaningfully improve walking efficiency for individual users. Earlier in his career, Kuindersma contributed foundational ideas in robot learning from demonstration, introducing the CST algorithm for constructing hierarchical skill trees (300 citations), and explored autonomous skill acquisition on mobile manipulators. His theoretical contributions include advances in contact-implicit trajectory optimization and constrained dynamic programming, addressing the numerical challenges of planning for robots that interact physically with their environment. Through his involvement in the DARPA Robotics Challenge and his chapter on modeling and control of legged robots, Kuindersma has helped shape both the practical and pedagogical landscape of modern robotics research.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Optimization-based locomotion planning, estimation, and control design for the atlas humanoid robot

   814 citations · 2015
2. 2
   Human-in-the-loop optimization of hip assistance with a soft exosuit during walking

   615 citations · 2018
3. 3
   Robot learning from demonstration by constructing skill trees

   300 citations · 2011
4. 4
   Modeling and Control of Legged Robots

   165 citations · 2016
5. 5
   Optimization and stabilization of trajectories for constrained dynamical systems

   158 citations · 2016
6. 6
   An Architecture for Online Affordance‐based Perception and Whole‐body Planning

   140 citations · 2014
7. 7
   A closed-form solution for real-time ZMP gait generation and feedback stabilization

   82 citations · 2015
8. 8
   Autonomous Skill Acquisition on a Mobile Manipulator

   64 citations · 2011
9. 9
   Variational Contact-Implicit Trajectory Optimization

   63 citations · 2019
10. 10
    Constrained unscented dynamic programming

    54 citations · 2017

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links