R. Piguet

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Papers

Total Citations

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About

R. Piguet is a pioneering researcher in autonomous mobile robotics, with a primary focus on innovative locomotion systems for planetary exploration. Their most celebrated contribution is the development of an advanced space rover with extended climbing abilities, detailed in a landmark 2000 paper that has garnered 95 citations. This work addresses one of the most critical challenges in unmanned planetary missions: navigating rough, uneven terrain on distant worlds. Piguet’s research systematically investigates and compares novel locomotion concepts for rovers and micro-rovers, pushing beyond traditional wheeled designs to enable safer and more capable traversal of rocky surfaces, steep slopes, and soft soils. Their findings have directly influenced the design of next-generation planetary rovers, enhancing the feasibility of missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. By bridging mechanical engineering, control systems, and space technology, Piguet has established a foundational framework for terrain-adaptive mobility. This work remains essential reading for researchers in field robotics and space exploration, demonstrating how creative mechanical design can overcome the extreme constraints of extraterrestrial environments.