💡 Watch out for our latest Science Robotics paper: Metamaterial Robotics. The article explores how mechanical metamaterials—materials with carefully designed microstructures and architecture—are reshaping what robots can achieve. These materials allow sensing, actuation, control, and computation to be built directly into the robot’s body rather than added on as separate components. Standing at the intersection of materials science, mechanical engineering, robotics, and AI, this work lays out our perspective on where metamaterials can take robotics next. It offers a framework for rethinking robotic architectures, actuation strategies, functional capabilities, and AI-driven design approaches. Thanks to Xiaoyang Zheng, Yuhao Jiang, Mustafa M., Jingjing Li, Ikumu Watanabe, Takayuki Yamada and Jamie Paik for their dedication. We’re excited to see how these ideas develop into real systems. 📖 Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/evuQnNAc #metamaterials #AI #ScienceRobotics #RRL #ReconfigurableRoboticsLab #EPFL #Robotics #Research #Engineering #Science #ModularRobotics #ReconfigurableRobotics #RoboticsResearch #IntelligentSystems #AdvancedRobotics #SoftRobots #epflengineering #epfligm
Reconfigurable Robotics Lab
Research
Lausanne, Vaud 1,696 followers
We focus on design, actuation, fabrication, control and modelling of unique robotic systems.
About us
The Reconfigurable Robotics Lab (RRL) research is focused on the design, actuation, fabrication, and control of unique robotic systems. Inventing novel fabrication techniques, integration and designs that push the limits of mechanical properties. RRL’s interactive, reconfigurable, soft robots are committed to improving the quality of human lives though medical, rehabilitation, search and rescue, personal and wearable robots.
- Website
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https://rrl.epfl.ch
External link for Reconfigurable Robotics Lab
- Industry
- Research
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- Lausanne, Vaud
- Type
- Educational
- Founded
- 2012
- Specialties
- Origami Robotics, Soft Robotics, and Reconfigurable Robotics
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
Route Cantonale
Lausanne, Vaud 1015, CH
Employees at Reconfigurable Robotics Lab
Updates
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🎉Great news from the Swiss Robotics Day: our lab received 3rd Place – Best Exhibitor. It was a rewarding way to end a day full of discussions about sustainable robotics and ongoing challenges in the field. Thank you to everyone who took the time to visit our booth and exchange ideas. The conversations were valuable, and we’re looking forward to building on them. #SRD #Demo #SwissRoboticsDay #RRL #ReconfigurableRoboticsLab #EPFL #Robotics #Research #Engineering #Science #ModularRobotics #ReconfigurableRobotics #RoboticsResearch #IntelligentSystems #AdvancedRobotics #SoftRobots #TechEvents #epflengineering #epfligm Jamie Paik
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As Reconfigurable Robotics Lab at EPFL, we participated in Swiss Robotics Day 2025. The event provided a clear platform to examine current developments in sustainable robotics and to assess how these approaches can be integrated into future systems. Speaking with researchers from across academia and industry highlighted both practical challenges and promising solutions. It was a productive day for aligning ideas, identifying gaps, and refining our direction as well as for exploring collaboration opportunities. Jamie Paik #SRD #Demo #SwissRoboticsDay #RRL #ReconfigurableRoboticsLab #EPFL #Robotics #Research #Engineering #Science #ModularRobotics #ReconfigurableRobotics #RoboticsResearch #IntelligentSystems #AdvancedRobotics #SoftRobots #TechEvents #epflengineering #epfligm
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🦾 S’MORE at IROS 2025: Shape-Morphing Robotics via Embodied Sensing and Mechanisms With topics spanning soft sensing, inflatable and foldable structures, and intelligent control, S’MORE brings together emerging and established voices to tackle grand challenges and shape the future of adaptive robotics. We’re thrilled to host exceptional speakers, including: Prof. Robert Katzschmann (ETH Zürich) Prof. Jamie Paik (EPFL) Prof. Jiefeng Sun (Arizona State University) Prof. Li Wen (Beihang University) Prof. Fumiya Iida (University of Cambridge) Prof. Cecilia Laschi (National University of Singapore) Prof. Heling Wang (Tsinghua University) 📍 Location: Hangzhou International Expo Center, Room 210A 🗓️ Date: October 20th, 2025 ⏰ Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM (local time) 💻 Online participation via Zoom available 🔗 More details: www.shapemorphingrobot.com #IROS2025 #Workshop #RRL #ReconfigurableRoboticsLab #EPFL #Robotics #Research #Engineering #Science #ModularRobotics #ReconfigurableRobotics #RoboticsResearch #IntelligentSystems #AdvancedRobotics #SoftRobots #TechEvents #epflengineering #epfligm
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Reconfigurable Robotics Lab reposted this
New paper alert! We have just had a paper published in Nature Communications, titled “Optimized user-guided motion control of modular robots”! Moravec's paradox says in essence: “What is easy for people is difficult for computers, and what is easy for computers is difficult for people.” Our paper uses human’s natural ability to adapt, with a computer’s capabilities in computation and precision, to have a shape-changing system able to safely perform new tasks. Shape-changing modular robots are able to adapt their structure to perform different tasks. However, once they’ve changed shape, recognising not only what needs to be done to perform a task, but also what even is a task at all, is a monumental challenge. Our solution was to enable a human operator to control this style of robot. We developed a modular framework, consisting of both a reconfigurable joint-space joystick (dubbed a JoJo) and a constrained optimisation framework, such that a user can control different shapes of the robot, and do safely. We tested our framework on multiple tasks, spanning from locomotion to object manipulation, and tested this framework on different shape-changing robots. I’d very much like to thank my collaborators and co-authors, Anastasia Bolotnikova, Henry Cerbone, Chris Belke, Auke J. Ijspeert, and Jamie Paik. We’re very happy to finally share this work. If you’re interested, the paper is linked below and is open-access: https://lnkd.in/eWmYFkeJ Reconfigurable Robotics Lab, EPFL Robotics, EPFL, Nature Portfolio
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Reconfigurable Robotics Lab reposted this
💫Nature Review!✨We are excited to share that our review article, “Soft Robotics for Personalized and Sustainable Wearables,” has been published in Nature Reviews Bioengineering! In this article, we explore the opportunities that soft actuators bring to wearable technologies. Particularly the promise of fluidic actuators, which have been a major research focus of the Reconfigurable Robotics Lab at EPFL. We highlight applications ranging from assistive and rehabilitative devices to haptic interfaces, while also discussing the advances needed to make wearable systems more personalized to improve human–robot interaction🤖, and move towards more sustainable development💚. Topics that align closely with the research focus of the Material Aesthetics Lab at Industrial Design TU/e. I am very grateful to Jamie Paik for this opportunity to contribute to this article alongside Matthew Robertson. 👉 You can check out the review here: https://lnkd.in/eEhUuuxm
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Reconfigurable Robotics Lab reposted this
🎉 👏 Congratulations to School of Engineering professor Jamie Paik, head of the Reconfigurable Robotics Lab! The Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology has just announced her promotion to Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering at EPFL. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eiwpMWVx EPFL Robotics | #mechanicalengineering | #softrobotics
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Prof. Jamie Paik joined the session titled "The Great Humanoids Debate: Intelligent Minds or Adaptive Bodies?" on June 23, 2025, discussing key aspects of humanoid robotics at ForsaTEK 2025! She was speaking alongside Takeshi Ando, Director of Robotics at Panasonic. The session was moderated by Keenan Hamza, VP of Innovation and New Technologies at Emirates Group. ForsaTEK 2025 is a leading innovation platform organized by Emirates Group, showcasing cutting-edge technologies in fields such as robotics, AI, and sustainable aviation. The event brings together global thought leaders to explore the future of technology and its impact on various industries. EPFL | EPFL Robotics #ForsaTEK2025 #TechLeadership #RRL #ReconfigurableRoboticsLab #EPFL #Robotics #Research #Engineering #Science #ModularRobotics #ReconfigurableRobotics #RoboticsResearch #IntelligentSystems #AdvancedRobotics #WearableTech #SustainableRobots #TechEvents #epflengineering #epfligm
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Reconfigurable Robotics Lab reposted this
EPFL researchers have developed a reconfigurable haptic interface system that uses compressed air to change shape and stiffness depending on the application.
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Check out our new paper “Reconfigurable Haptic Feedback: Comprehensive Design and Control Framework” published in Advanced Portfolio's Advanced Intelligent Systems. We introduce a modular soft robotics framework for reconfigurable haptic devices that adapt their shape and stiffness to suit diverse applications from haptic feedback in virtual environments to hand rehabilitation. The framework offers intuitive design and control, integrates smart sensing, and uses machine learning to interpret interactions with users and the environment. Full article: https://lnkd.in/gYzGiMDt EPFL news: https://lnkd.in/ejCnzSMh Authors: Serhat Demirtaş Anke van Oosterhout Rohit John Jamie Paik EPFL EPFL Robotics Industrial Design TU/e #Haptics #SoftRobotics #VR #Rehabilitation #MachineLearning #RoboticsResearch #HumanMachineInteraction
🤖 🖐 This novel #haptic robotic device is made up of modules - Digits - composed of rigid links joined by flexible joints. The joints are controlled by pressurized air pouches to change the modules’ shape and stiffness. In a new study, EPFL Reconfigurable Robotics Lab head Jamie Paik and her team present 2 of 16 possible Digits configurations – the wearable TangiGlove and hand-held TangiBall – demonstrating their framework’s versatility and potential for #physicaltherapy, as well as #virtualreality environments! Read our news 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dd_uQUyB Serhat Demirtaş | #robot | #softrobotics | #VR | #augmentedreality #rehabilitation | #haptics
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