Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

R.Q. van der Linde is a pioneering researcher in biomechatronics and human-robot interaction, whose work has fundamentally shaped the fields of haptic robotics and energy-efficient locomotion. His most influential contribution is the development of the HapticMaster (165 citations), a groundbreaking force-controlled robot that established a new paradigm for safe, high-performance human-robot interaction, moving beyond traditional industrial robotics. In bipedal locomotion, van der Linde made seminal advances in ballistic walking, demonstrating how passive dynamics and variable-stiffness actuators—such as McKibben pneumatic muscles (127 citations)—could achieve remarkable energy efficiency. His research on active leg compliance (66 citations) and the Delft Pneumatic Bipeds (64 citations) showed how to combine the natural efficiency of passive walking with active control, creating robots that move with unprecedented economy and grace. Van der Linde also contributed to rehabilitation robotics through his work on underactuated robotic hands and grippers, optimizing grasp force for assistive devices. His interdisciplinary approach—bridging mechanical design, control theory, and biomechanics—has made him a key figure in creating robots that work safely alongside humans and move with biological efficiency.