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About

M.-A. Lavoie is a robotics researcher whose work centers on the design and control of high-performance robotic systems for physical interaction tasks. His primary research areas include elastic actuation, robotic manipulation, and biologically inspired locomotion. Lavoie’s most significant contribution is the development of the **Differential Elastic Actuator (DEA)** , a novel actuation technology that uses a differential coupling between a high-impedance speed source and an elastic element to achieve superior force control and impact robustness. This work, detailed in his most-cited paper “Differential elastic actuator for robotic interaction tasks” (44 citations), directly addresses the challenges of non-collocated sensing and imprecise interaction models in complex tasks like manipulation and locomotion. He further demonstrated the DEA’s practical application through admittance control of a human-centered 3-DOF robotic arm. Beyond actuation, Lavoie contributed to mobile robotics by designing a cockroach-inspired running robot and a low-cost power management unit for battery-powered systems. His research has been recognized through patents on the DEA technology, and his work remains foundational for researchers developing safe, high-performance robots for human-robot interaction and dynamic locomotion.