Felix Grimminger

About

Felix Grimminger is a robotics engineer and researcher whose work spans legged locomotion, torque-controlled humanoids, and open-source robotic hardware. His contributions have shaped both the theoretical foundations and practical implementation of advanced robot control, earning his papers well over 900 cumulative citations across a career bridging academia and cutting-edge hardware development. Grimminger's early work on the hexapod RHex (189 citations) demonstrated robust stair-climbing using elegant open-loop control, while his stair-climbing rescue robot (114 citations) extended that thinking to real-world disaster response scenarios. He later pivoted to humanoid robotics, making landmark contributions in hierarchical inverse dynamics and momentum-based balance control — work validated on physical torque-controlled platforms (254 and 143 citations), a technically demanding achievement that proved these controllers viable beyond simulation. More recently, Grimminger has championed open-source robotics through the Open Dynamic Robot Initiative, developing the quadruped Solo-12 and the TriFinger manipulation platform, lowering barriers for researchers worldwide. His variable horizon MPC framework for bipedal walking further demonstrates his range across both hardware and sophisticated control theory. Across legged locomotion, whole-body control, and accessible robot design, Grimminger's work consistently bridges rigorous theory with real-world engineering impact.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Momentum control with hierarchical inverse dynamics on a torque-controlled humanoid

   254 citations · 2015
2. 2
   Reliable stair climbing in the simple hexapod 'RHex'

   189 citations · 2003
3. 3
   Balancing experiments on a torque-controlled humanoid with hierarchical inverse dynamics

   143 citations · 2014
4. 4
   A Versatile Stair-Climbing Robot for Search and Rescue Applications

   114 citations · 2008
5. 5
   Variable Horizon MPC With Swing Foot Dynamics for Bipedal Walking Control

   57 citations · 2021
6. 6
   Implementation of a Reactive Walking Controller for the New Open-Hardware Quadruped Solo-12

   33 citations · 2021
7. 7
   An adaptive sensor foot for a bipedal and quadrupedal robot

   31 citations · 2012
8. 8
   Additional DOFs and sensors for bio-inspired locomotion: Towards active spine, ankle joints, and feet for a quadruped robot

   26 citations · 2011
9. 9
   TriFinger: An Open-Source Robot for Learning Dexterity

   24 citations · 2020
10. 10
    Momentum-based Balance Control for Torque-controlled Humanoids

    22 citations · 2013

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links