Esteban Lopez

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Esteban Lopez is a leading researcher at the intersection of soft robotics and autonomous navigation, with a primary focus on shape estimation, formation control, and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) for compliant systems. His most cited work, "SLAM and Shape Estimation for Soft Robots" (2023, 6 citations), introduces pioneering techniques that enable mobile soft robots—composed of identical, flexibly connected modular sub-units—to perform SLAM using only on-board local sensors. This breakthrough addresses a fundamental challenge in soft robotics: achieving spatial awareness in highly deformable, boundary-constrained swarms. Complementing this, his 2022 letter "Using R-Functions to Control the Shape of Soft Robots" (4 citations) presents a novel approach for soft robot shape formation and morphing by leveraging approximate distance fields and constructive solid geometry. By applying R-functions, Lopez provides a powerful mathematical framework for precisely controlling robot morphology in real time. Though early in his career, his work is already shaping how soft robots perceive and adapt to their environments, bridging gaps between theoretical geometry, control theory, and practical robotic deployment.