Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Samuel Zimmermann is a leading roboticist whose research advances the frontiers of autonomous navigation and whole-body control for complex, unstructured environments. His work centers on two key areas: model predictive control (MPC) for wheeled-legged robots and multi-robot exploration of subterranean settings. In his highly cited 2021 paper (115 citations), Zimmermann proposed a novel whole-body MPC that simultaneously optimizes wheel and torso motions, integrating kinodynamic models to enable agile, stable locomotion for wheeled quadrupedal robots. This work has become foundational for dynamic legged locomotion. His most impactful contributions, however, stem from his role in the CERBERUS team, which won the DARPA Subterranean Challenge in 2021. Papers detailing CERBERUS’s autonomous legged and aerial robotic exploration have garnered over 230 combined citations, showcasing a system-of-systems that reliably navigates tunnels, caves, and urban ruins. Zimmermann’s strategies for teamed exploration—coordinating legged and aerial robots in large-scale, multi-branched topologies—set new benchmarks for subterranean autonomy. His achievements demonstrate a rare ability to translate theoretical control methods into field-deployable systems, making him a pivotal figure in resilient, multi-domain robotics.