Matthew A. Woodward

About

Matthew A. Woodward is a roboticist and mechanical engineer whose research sits at the intersection of biologically inspired robotics, novel actuation systems, and multi-modal locomotion. Drawing inspiration from animals such as vampire bats, desert locusts, and birds, Woodward has made significant contributions to the design and development of miniature robots capable of integrating multiple movement strategies — most notably jumping, gliding, and perching — to navigate complex, unstructured environments. His most celebrated work, the MultiMo-Bat robot (2014), garnered 128 citations and demonstrated that a 115.6-gram robot could achieve jumping heights exceeding three meters while incorporating gliding capabilities, a landmark achievement in small-scale robotics. Woodward has also advanced the field of smart actuation, pioneering approaches such as shape-memory alloy actuators paired with tailored magnetic springs, enabling robots to incorporate greater numbers of lightweight, efficient actuators analogous to biological muscle systems. His investigations into morphological intelligence — how passive mechanical structures allow animals like locusts to handle slipping without active neural control — have deepened understanding bridging biomechanics and robotics design. Across more than a decade of research, Woodward's cumulative citation impact reflects a sustained influence on how engineers conceive agile, nature-inspired robotic systems.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   MultiMo-Bat: A biologically inspired integrated jumping–gliding robot

   128 citations · 2014
2. 2
   Design of a miniature integrated multi-modal jumping and gliding robot

   45 citations · 2011
3. 3
   Morphological intelligence counters foot slipping in the desert locust and dynamic robots

   38 citations · 2018
4. 4
   Tailored Magnetic Springs for Shape-Memory Alloy Actuated Mechanisms in Miniature Robots

   24 citations · 2019
5. 5
   Universal Custom Complex Magnetic Spring Design Methodology

   19 citations · 2017
6. 6
   Avian‐Inspired Perching Mechanism for Jumping Robots

   5 citations · 2023
7. 7
   Design of a miniature integrated multi-modal jumping and gliding robot

   5 citations · 2011
8. 8
   MultiMo-Bat: Biologically Inspired Integrated Multi-Modal Locomotion

   4 citations · 2017
9. 9
   Design and Control of a High-Performance Hopping Robot

   3 citations · 2025
10. 10
    Active Tail Configurations for Enhanced Body Reorientation Performance

    3 citations · 2023

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links