Roberto Shu

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Roberto Shu is a robotics researcher whose work sits at the intersection of dynamic locomotion, manipulation, and soft robotics. His research focuses on enabling robots to perform complex, real-world tasks by blending control theory with novel mechanical design. Shu’s most cited work, “The Mechanics and Control of Leaning to Lift Heavy Objects with a Dynamically Stable Mobile Robot” (2019, 15 citations), tackles the challenging problem of semi-autonomous object handling using a ballbot—a dynamically stable, spherical-wheeled robot. This work demonstrates a control algorithm that allows the robot to detect, lift, transport, and place objects of unknown mass, pushing the boundaries of mobile manipulation. In parallel, his 2022 paper “Towards Very Low-Cost Iterative Prototyping for Fully Printable Dexterous Soft Robotic Hands” (15 citations) addresses the bottleneck of fabrication in soft robotics, introducing a rapid, low-cost prototyping approach that accelerates design iteration. Earlier, his 2016 work on “Optimal control for geometric motion planning of a robot diver” (11 citations) explored aggressive aerial reorientation maneuvers, contributing to safer landings for dynamic robots. Shu’s contributions are notable for their practical focus on bridging simulation and hardware, with clear implications for assistive robotics and industrial automation.