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About

Jaakko T. Karras is a pioneering roboticist whose work bridges origami-inspired engineering, extreme-environment robotics, and intuitive human-robot interaction. His most influential contribution is the development of pop-up flat-folding explorer robots (PUFFER), a novel class of two-wheeled rovers designed for space exploration. His landmark 2017 paper on a textile-enhanced rigid-flex PCB body for a pop-up Mars rover (55 citations) introduced a manufacturing paradigm that combines origami folding with spaceflight-tolerant materials, enabling compact, deployable robots for missions to Mars and beyond. Karras’s earlier work on integrated manufacture of exoskeletons and sensing structures for folded millirobots (48 citations) drew inspiration from insect exoskeletons, using laser machining and layered bonding to create robust, sensor-rich micro-robots. He also led the development of the Cold Operable Lunar Deployable Arm (COLDArm), a system designed to operate in cryogenic environments like the lunar night and Ocean Worlds. Beyond space robotics, Karras invented the JPL BioSleeve, a wearable gesture-based control interface that decodes hand and arm gestures via electromyography, enabling natural, hands-free robot control. His work has been demonstrated in field trials and live exhibitions, showcasing its potential for intuitive human-robot collaboration.