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About

Kundan Panta is a rising leader in bio-inspired robotics, with a focus on underwater locomotion and autonomous systems. His research centers on the hydrodynamics of body and caudal fin (BCF) swimming, where he investigates how mechanical properties—such as caudal fin stiffness—affect thrust, efficiency, and maneuverability in robotic swimmers. Panta’s work bridges fundamental fluid dynamics with practical robot design, demonstrating that fin stiffness profoundly influences both forward swimming and turning maneuvers, a finding with implications for agile underwater vehicles. He has also made notable contributions to autonomous modular robotics, developing the µBot 2.0 platform, which integrates onboard computing, sensing, and power for studying bio-inspired control. In a pioneering achievement, Panta demonstrated leader-follower formation swimming using flow pressure sensing, replicating the lateral line capability of fish for object detection. Additionally, he explored touchless underwater wall-distance sensing via active proprioception, a novel method that encodes distance from fluid flows. With his most-cited paper already garnering 10 citations since 2024, Panta’s work is gaining rapid recognition for advancing the autonomy and sensory capabilities of robotic fish, positioning him as a key innovator in the field.