Annelies Coene

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About

Annelies Coene is a rising roboticist whose work is redefining how legged robots perceive and interact with their environment. Her primary research focuses on tactile sensing and force control for quadruped robots, with a particular emphasis on enhancing locomotion and environmental exploration through direct physical feedback. Coene’s most significant contribution is the development of an innovative integrated barometric pressure sensor, encased in a deformable rubber sphere and mounted as an end-effector foot on the Unitree Go1 quadruped. This sensor, detailed in her 2024 paper (6 citations), withstands repeated impacts of at least 40 N, enabling robots to tactilely explore edges and surfaces with unprecedented resilience and sensitivity. Her 2025 work on tactile force sensing for admittance control (1 citation) addresses a critical limitation in quadruped robotics: the indirect estimation of ground reaction forces (GRFs) via joint torques and kinematic models, which are error-prone. By providing direct force measurement, Coene’s approach promises more robust balance and locomotion control. Though early in her career, her novel sensor design and control strategies are laying the groundwork for more adaptive, physically intelligent robots capable of navigating complex, unstructured terrains.