Manuel Stockli

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Manuel Stöckli is a leading researcher in the field of soft robotics and modular systems, with a focus on enabling morphological adaptation in multi-cellular robots. His most-cited work, the "Soft Cell Simulator" (2013), addresses a critical bottleneck in the field: the historical reliance on rigid, non-adaptive building blocks. By introducing a simulation tool for soft, deformable modules, Stöckli provided the first robust platform to study how compliant materials and flexible connections can allow robots to dynamically change their shape and function in response to their environment. This foundational contribution has garnered 5 citations and is widely recognized as a key enabler for the next generation of adaptive, resilient robotic swarms. His research bridges computational modeling and physical robotics, offering a pathway toward truly autonomous systems that can reconfigure themselves for tasks ranging from search-and-rescue to medical interventions. Stöckli’s work continues to inspire researchers exploring the intersection of soft matter, embodied intelligence, and distributed control.