Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Keivan Torabi is a robotics and control engineer whose research sits at the intersection of soft robotics, smart materials, and biomedical engineering. His work centers on the development, modeling, and control of electroactive polymer actuators — particularly conjugated polymers such as polypyrrole — and their application in next-generation robotic systems. Torabi's most influential contribution is his design of a novel soft parallel robot driven by polymeric artificial muscles, which has garnered 64 citations and demonstrated the viability of low-cost, flexible actuator-based platforms for bio-micromanipulation. This work helped establish a foundation for applying soft robotics principles to biomedical contexts where compliance and precision are paramount. Beyond hardware innovation, Torabi has made significant strides in the theoretical underpinnings of these systems. His analytical and finite element modeling frameworks capture the complex electro-chemo-mechanical dynamics of trilayer polypyrrole actuators, while his development of robust control strategies — including quantitative feedback theory — addresses the inherent nonlinearities and uncertainties of these materials. His 2016 control-oriented modeling paper further bridges the gap between physical complexity and practical implementation. Together, his publications reflect a cohesive research program advancing soft robotics from materials to systems-level control.