Joshua Hoegerman

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Joshua Hoegerman is a roboticist advancing the frontier of dexterous manipulation by bridging the gap between rigid and soft robotics. His core research focuses on designing hybrid gripper systems that combine the strength and precision of rigid end-effectors with the adaptability and delicacy of soft materials. Hoegerman’s major contributions include the development of the RISO system, which integrates rigid grippers with switchable adhesives, and subsequent work on decoupling rigid and soft components to enhance robotic manipulation in unstructured environments. These innovations address a critical limitation in assistive robotics: enabling a single arm to handle objects ranging from heavy tools to small, fragile items like grains or electronics. With his most-cited paper accumulating 6 citations since 2025, Hoegerman’s impact is already evident in the growing interest in hybrid gripper architectures. His work is particularly notable for its practical focus on real-world applications, from home assistance to industrial sorting, and for challenging the traditional binary between soft and rigid design philosophies. For students and researchers, Hoegerman’s research offers a compelling vision of robots that can seamlessly adapt to the messy, unpredictable demands of everyday manipulation.