E. Steltz

About

E. Steltz is a pioneering robotics researcher whose work spans two transformative domains: microrobotics and soft robotics. Working at the intersection of materials science, mechanical engineering, and robotics, Steltz has made foundational contributions that continue to shape how researchers approach robot design at radically different scales. In the realm of microrobotics, Steltz advanced the Smart Composite Microstructures (SCM) process, enabling the fabrication of remarkably capable robots at the centimeter scale. The RoACH hexapod — a 2.4-gram autonomous crawling robot — exemplified this approach, demonstrating that fiber-reinforced composites and piezoelectric actuators could yield functional, high-speed locomotion in an extraordinarily compact platform. These works have collectively garnered nearly 700 citations, reflecting their lasting influence on the field. Steltz's most celebrated contribution, however, lies in granular jamming robotics. The 2010 paper introducing a universal robotic gripper based on jamming of granular material has amassed over 1,550 citations, making it one of the most impactful works in modern robotics. Complementing this, Steltz pioneered "Jamming Skin Enabled Locomotion," introducing a novel paradigm for soft, morphing mobile robots capable of navigating unpredictable terrain. Together, these contributions helped establish soft robotics as a vibrant and consequential research discipline.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Universal robotic gripper based on the jamming of granular material

   1,554 citations · 2010
2. 2
   Microrobot Design Using Fiber Reinforced Composites

   389 citations · 2008
3. 3
   RoACH: An autonomous 2.4g crawling hexapod robot

   209 citations · 2008
4. 4
   JSEL: Jamming Skin Enabled Locomotion

   205 citations · 2009
5. 5
   Power Electronics Design Choice for Piezoelectric Microrobots

   101 citations · 2006
6. 6
   Jamming as an enabling technology for soft robotics

   98 citations · 2010
7. 7
   Nonlinear Performance Limits for High Energy Density Piezoelectric Bending Actuators

   63 citations · 2006
8. 8
   Towards a 3g crawling robot through the integration of microrobot technologies

   61 citations · 2006
9. 9
   The first steps of a robot based on jamming skin enabled locomotion

   14 citations · 2009
10. 10
    Carbon Fiber Components with Integrated Wiring for Millirobot Prototyping

    6 citations · 2006

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links