Rudolf Scheidl

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Rudolf Scheidl is a pioneering figure in fluid power and hydraulic actuation, with a career dedicated to reimagining hydraulic systems through the lens of switching technology and energy efficiency. His research centers on the application of switched-mode control to hydraulics, drawing inspiration from advances in power electronics to create faster, more efficient actuation systems. Scheidl’s most influential work, “Power hydraulics - switched mode control of hydraulic actuation” (2010, 26 citations), lays the theoretical foundation for this paradigm shift, challenging the conventional resistive-type control that dominates the field. He has also made significant contributions to autonomous robotics, as seen in his study of energy-efficient fluid power for a bioinspired quadruped robot leg (2009, 25 citations), where he compared classical valve-controlled drives with novel energy-saving designs. Further extending this work, Scheidl demonstrated the use of a hydraulic DC-DC converter—specifically a Buck Converter—in the actuation of the HyQ quadruped robot’s leg (2013, 12 citations), achieving notable efficiency gains. With a career spanning decades at the Johannes Kepler University Linz, Scheidl’s innovations in switching hydraulics and robotic actuation continue to inspire researchers seeking to merge high power density with sustainability.