Paul Evrard

About

Paul Evrard is a leading researcher in humanoid robotics, specializing in physical human-robot interaction, collaborative manipulation, and whole-body control. His most influential work centers on enabling robots to work safely and intuitively alongside humans, with a particular focus on real-time motion generation and haptic communication. Evrard's seminal 2009 paper on the "Stack Of Tasks" (117 citations) introduced a versatile generalized inverse kinematics framework that has become foundational for controlling complex humanoid robots like the HRP-2. He made major contributions to learning from demonstration, developing statistical methods that allow humanoids to acquire collaborative skills—such as lifting objects with a human partner (110 citations)—by observing tasks performed through haptic interfaces. His research on real-time collision avoidance (79 citations) and homotopy-based controllers for physical interaction (27 citations) has advanced the safety and fluidity of human-robot co-working. Notably, Evrard demonstrated intercontinental tele-cooperation, enabling a humanoid robot in Japan to collaborate with a human in France through multimodal feedback. With over 450 cumulative citations, his work has shaped the field of collaborative humanoid robotics, bridging control theory, learning, and real-world physical cooperation.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   A versatile Generalized Inverted Kinematics implementation for collaborative working humanoid robots: The Stack Of Tasks

   117 citations · 2009
2. 2
   Teaching physical collaborative tasks: object-lifting case study with a humanoid

   110 citations · 2009
3. 3
   Real-time (self)-collision avoidance task on a hrp-2 humanoid robot

   79 citations · 2008
4. 4
   Learning collaborative manipulation tasks by demonstration using a haptic interface

   60 citations · 2009
5. 5
   Homotopy-based controller for physical human-robot interaction

   27 citations · 2009
6. 6
   Fast foot prints re-planning and motion generation during walking in physical human-humanoid interaction

   22 citations · 2009
7. 7
   Intercontinental multimodal tele-cooperation using a humanoid robot

   17 citations · 2008
8. 8
   Intercontinental, multimodal, wide-range tele-cooperation using a humanoid robot

   16 citations · 2009
9. 9
   Modular Architecture for Humanoid Walking Pattern Prototyping and Experiments

   15 citations · 2008
10. 10
    Human-Humanoid Co-working in a Joint Table Transportation

    3 citations · 2012

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links