Albert Graells Rovira

Institut de Robòtica i Informàtica Industrial, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Papers

Total Citations

138

H-Index

About

Albert Graells Rovira is a pioneer in the application of tensegrity structures to mobile robotics, a field that leverages lightweight, deformable frameworks to create robots with unprecedented adaptability. His most influential work, "Control and simulation of a tensegrity-based mobile robot" (2008, 126 citations), established foundational methods for modeling and controlling these compliant, cable-and-rod systems, demonstrating how they can navigate unstructured environments where traditional wheeled or legged robots fail. Graells Rovira’s earlier contribution, "Dynamic equations of motion for a 3-bar tensegrity based mobile robot" (2007, 12 citations), laid the theoretical groundwork by deriving the complex dynamics that govern these shape-shifting machines. His research bridges structural engineering and robotics, showing that tensegrity robots can roll, deform, and absorb impacts—properties ideal for planetary exploration, search-and-rescue, or soft robotics. By proving that these inherently stable yet flexible structures can be actively controlled, Graells Rovira has opened new pathways for robots that adapt their morphology to their surroundings. His work remains a touchstone for researchers seeking to escape the rigidity of conventional robot design, inspiring advances in locomotion, manipulation, and autonomous exploration.