Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Amir Melzer is a roboticist whose work bridges the extremes of terrestrial and aerial autonomy. He is best known for his pivotal role in developing **ANYmal**, a highly mobile and dynamic quadrupedal robot. Melzer’s key contributions to this platform—specifically the design of novel, compliant joint modules with integrated electronics—enabled the 30 kg robotic dog to achieve torque control and remarkable robustness against impulsive loads during dynamic locomotion. This foundational work, detailed in his 2016 paper (864 citations), has made ANYmal a standard platform for legged robotics research. Beyond the ground, Melzer has made significant strides in solar-powered aviation. He was instrumental in the design of the **AtlantikSolar** UAV, a 6.9 kg hand-launchable aircraft that set a multi-day world endurance record with an 81-hour continuous flight (118 citations). His research further advanced autonomous aerial sensing by developing updraft-aware control strategies for perpetual flight, enabling multiday search-and-rescue missions. With over 1,300 combined citations, Melzer’s contributions have fundamentally expanded the operational capabilities of both legged and flying robots.