Maximilian Eberlein

ETH Zurich, Robotics Research (United States)

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Maximilian Eberlein is a rising roboticist whose work bridges the gap between soft actuation and dexterous manipulation. His research centers on two key areas: soft, proprioceptive actuators for compliant robotics, and cost-effective anthropomorphic hands for scalable dexterous learning. Eberlein’s major contribution lies in advancing Hydraulically Amplified Self-Healing Electrostatic (HASEL) actuators, demonstrating how high-frequency capacitive sensing can imbue these soft structures with inherent self-awareness and compliance—a critical step toward robots that can safely interact with humans and unpredictable environments. His most cited work, “High-Frequency Capacitive Sensing for Electrohydraulic Soft Actuators” (2024, 5 citations), establishes a foundational method for proprioception in soft systems. Simultaneously, Eberlein is tackling the hardware bottleneck in dexterous manipulation with the ORCA hand (2025, 2 citations), an open-source, reliable, and affordable anthropomorphic platform designed to enable uninterrupted task learning. By prioritizing human-like form factor and cost-effectiveness, ORCA aims to democratize access to dexterous research and leverage human-hand interaction datasets. Though early in his career, Eberlein’s dual focus on soft sensing and accessible hardware positions him as a key contributor to the next generation of versatile, human-compatible robots.