Manon Briod

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Papers

Total Citations

216

H-Index

About

Manon Briod is a leading researcher at the intersection of robotics and education, best known for her pioneering work in developing accessible, open-source robotic platforms for formal learning environments. Her most significant contribution is the creation of the **Thymio robot**, a low-cost, open-source hardware platform that has become a cornerstone of educational robotics. Her seminal paper on this work, “Bringing Robotics to Formal Education: The Thymio Open-Source Hardware Robot,” has garnered **143 citations**, reflecting its profound impact on how robotics is integrated into classrooms worldwide. Briod’s research emphasizes making robotics a versatile, pervasive tool that blends seamlessly into educational settings, moving beyond novelty to become a genuine pedagogical asset. She further advanced this vision with the **Cellulo** platform (73 citations), which explores tangible, interactive robotic interfaces that foster tight coupling between physical and digital learning. Through these innovations, Briod has fundamentally shaped how students engage with STEM, demonstrating that thoughtfully designed robots can demystify complex concepts in mechanics, programming, and mathematics. Her work remains a benchmark for researchers and educators seeking to democratize robotics education.