Project Database

We offer an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated graduate student in Mechanical Engineering to undertake a thesis project focusing on designing and constructing a robotic apparatus to test and validate the impact force of a dinosaur tail strike. This project spans approximately 6 months and requires a combination of mechanical design expertise, force plate measurements, innovation in biomimetic structures, and proficiency in data analysis.

Project Description

The thesis project revolves around designing, building, and controlling a life-sized robotic tail capable of replicating the striking force of a dinosaur’s club-shaped tail. The aim is to accurately measure impact force and velocity using a bone-like material reproduction sourced from fossils we have at the Palaeontological Institute and Museum of the University of Zurich. This endeavor will involve close collaboration with a multidisciplinary team and conducting experiments at our facilities at Empa Dübendorf by Zurich.

Responsibilities

• Utilize mechanical design skills (3D modeling) and motion control (microcontroller designing and programming) to create a functional life-sized Glyptodont's tail.
• Conduct tests to measure impact force and velocity, meticulously documenting experimental procedures and results.
• Employ data analysis techniques, including statistical tools or software, to interpret experimental findings.
• Demonstrate creativity in problem-solving, proposing enhancements to the biomimetic tail design where necessary.
• Collaborate effectively within a team, communicating ideas and contributing to the project's success.

Requirements

Background in mechanical designing with proficiency in 3D modeling.

Expertise in motion control, including microcontroller designing and programming.

Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data using statistical tools or software.

Strong problem-solving skills with a demonstrated ability to innovate in design and testing.

Excellent communication skills to collaborate within a team and articulate ideas effectively.

Expected Outcomes

Successful creation of a fully functional life-sized Glyptodont's tail within the thesis duration.

Execution of tests to accurately measure impact force and velocity.

Comprehensive documentation of experiments and results.

Recommendations for potential enhancements or modifications based on findings.

If you are a Master's student passionate about pushing the boundaries of robotics, biomimicry, and mechanical engineering and are looking for an engaging thesis project, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your resume/CV along with a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you are excited about this exceptional thesis opportunity to Auke Ijspeert as well as Ardian Jusufi.

This project has been taken for 2026 fall semester

Background

To improve the indoor autonomy of people with mobility impairments, including wheelchair users, everyday furniture can be equipped with mobility and manipulation capabilities. Such robotic furniture could autonomously reorganize room layouts, clear pathways, transport objects, and grasp and deliver everyday items to users.

Coordinating multiple robotic furniture units in confined indoor environments is challenging because their physical shapes and dimensions cannot be neglected. Unlike point robots, furniture units must account for their full geometry when navigating through narrow spaces and interacting with one another.

Current Progress

Our previously developed algorithm, Velocity Potential Field Modulation (VPFM), has demonstrated strong performance in the dense coordination of polytopic robot swarms in 2D environments. Given the current pose and velocity of each robot, together with its target pose, VPFM generates collision-aware motion commands that guide all robots toward their assigned targets while reducing the risk of collisions and deadlocks.

More information is available in our IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters publication and the corresponding open-source repository:

Paper: IEEE RA-L publication

Project Objectives

1. Extend VPFM to height-aware, multi-layer coordination.
   Develop a representation and coordination framework that accounts for the three-dimensional geometry of robotic furniture while maintaining predominantly planar motion. This extension should allow compatible parts of different furniture units to overlap vertically. For example, a low table may move underneath a higher table, and the seat of a chair may pass below a tabletop, while the chair back must still be treated as a potential collision.


2. Conduct simulation-based validation.
   Implement and evaluate the proposed methods in simulation using representative dense indoor scenarios. The evaluation should investigate collision avoidance, deadlock resolution, convergence to target poses, computational efficiency, and the benefits of height-aware coordination compared with the original two-dimensional formulation.