Lina Graber

Papers

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About

Lina Graber is a pioneering roboticist whose work tackles one of the field’s most stubborn challenges: enabling robots to climb complex vertical surfaces with high payloads. Her core research focuses on bio-inspired climbing mechanisms, adhesive technologies, and the design of self-contained robotic systems for extreme environments. Graber’s most significant contribution is her development of thermoplastic adhesive (TPA) bonds for vertical climbing, a breakthrough that offers dramatically higher attachment strength than conventional methods like vacuum suction or electrostatic adhesion. Her landmark 2013 paper, “Large-Payload Climbing in Complex Vertical Environments Using Thermoplastic Adhesive Bonds,” has garnered 43 citations and demonstrates a robot capable of carrying substantial loads up sheer walls, a feat previously unattainable with existing technologies. While her earlier 2012 work on self-contained climbing laid essential groundwork, it is the TPA approach that stands as her signature achievement, opening new possibilities for inspection, maintenance, and rescue operations in challenging vertical terrains. Graber’s research directly addresses the critical limitation of low attachment strength, positioning her as a leading voice in the next generation of climbing robotics.