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About

Andrew Peekema is a roboticist whose work bridges the gap between biological inspiration and mechanical design, with a primary focus on dynamic bipedal locomotion. His most significant contributions center on the ATRIAS robot, a heavily underactuated biped designed to exploit passive dynamics and compliance for efficient walking and running. Peekema’s research demonstrated robust 3D gait control spanning zero to 4.3 KPH, a landmark achievement in achieving stable, energy-efficient locomotion without relying on full actuation. His work on “spring-mass walking” and “exciting engineered passive dynamics” has been cited over 200 times, underscoring its influence on the field of legged robotics. Beyond locomotion, Peekema contributed to open-source real-time control systems for highly dynamic machines, and later applied his expertise to planetary sampling systems, including the PlanetVac Xodiac for NASA. His thesis on template-based control and software frameworks remains a key reference for researchers building modular, high-performance robot controllers. Peekema’s career exemplifies how biologically inspired principles can be translated into practical, robust robotic systems.