Robert Katzschmann

Robert Katzschmann is an Assistant Professor of Robotics at ETH Zurich and the founder of the Soft Robotics Lab.15 He is also the co-founder and scientific advisor of mimic robotics, a startup developing autonomous dexterous manipulation solutions.13

Katzschmann holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL), which he earned in 2018.1 His research focuses on soft robotics, biohybrid systems, musculoskeletal robotics, and dynamic control.5

Some of his notable achievements include:

1. Developing SoFi, the first autonomous soft robotic fish, which has been featured in major publications and presented at TED events.1
2. Creating the first fully 3D-printed proprioceptive robotic hand.1
3. Pioneering dynamic control algorithms for soft robotic arms.1

Katzschmann's work has been recognized internationally. He is an IEEE RAS Senior Member, Ellis Member, and a TED Fellow.5 His TED Talk from 2022 on robots inspired by animal movement has been viewed by millions.4

Before joining ETH Zurich in 2020, Katzschmann worked at various companies, including:

• CTO at Dexai Robotics (now Sony AI) from 2019 to 20202
• Applied Scientist at Amazon Robotics from 2018 to 20192
• Engineer at Auris Surgical Robotics (now Johnson & Johnson)1

His LinkedIn username is robertkatzschmann, where he describes himself as "Assistant Professor of Robotics, ETH Zurich | Core Faculty ETH AI Center | Co-founder Mimic Robotics".46