Krijn B. Michel

About

Krijn B. Michel is a leading researcher in bio-inspired robotics, specializing in the coordination of body and limb movements for multi-legged locomotion. His work bridges biology and engineering to understand how animals—and robots—can use lateral back bending to enhance stability, maneuverability, and propulsion. Michel’s major contributions include demonstrating that spinal flexibility is not merely for forward motion but also critical for turning and lateral movements, a principle he validated through robotic models grounded in geometric mechanics. His most cited paper (2021, 34 citations) reveals how sprawled-posture quadrupeds coordinate body bending with leg forces, offering design insights for more agile robots. Another influential study (2018, 32 citations) showed that back bending assists diverse locomotor tasks, while his general control framework (2022, 28 citations) proposes adding limbs to serpentine robots for improved mobility in confined spaces like disaster zones. With over 110 total citations, Michel’s work is foundational for developing versatile, limb-equipped robots that navigate complex terrains. His achievements include advancing geometric mechanics as a tool for locomotion analysis and inspiring next-generation search-and-rescue platforms.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Coordination of lateral body bending and leg movements for sprawled posture quadrupedal locomotion

   34 citations · 2021
2. 2
   Coordination of back bending and leg movements for quadrupedal locomotion

   32 citations · 2018
3. 3
   A general locomotion control framework for multi-legged locomotors

   28 citations · 2022
4. 4
   Geometric Mechanics Applied to Tetrapod Locomotion on Granular Media

   16 citations · 2017
5. 5
   A general locomotion control framework for multi-legged locomotors

   2 citations · 2021

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links