Michael Gogola
Papers
7
Total Citations
203
H-Index
5
About
Michael Gogola’s research lies at the intersection of robotics, actuation, and energetic autonomy, with a primary focus on developing power-dense, self-contained systems for human-scale robots. His most influential contribution is the design and energetic characterization of a liquid-propellant-powered actuator, which uses a monopropellant to generate hot gas for pneumatic-type actuation—a concept that bypasses the limitations of traditional battery-and-motor combinations. This work, published in 2003 and garnering 122 citations, demonstrated a prototype capable of closed-loop position and force control, marking a significant step toward energetically autonomous robots that can operate without tethering. Gogola also contributed to mesoscale robotics, co-developing piezoelectrically-actuated robot quadrupeds and exploring elastodynamic locomotion for robotic insects. His research consistently addresses the critical challenge of power consumption in autonomous systems, proposing lightweight, high-energy-density solutions. With over 200 combined citations across his most-cited works, Gogola’s innovations in hot gas actuation and self-powered robotics have influenced subsequent efforts in power-autonomous locomotion and actuation design, making him a notable figure in the pursuit of truly untethered, human-scale robotic systems.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Development of a piezoelectrically-actuated mesoscale robot quadruped38 citations · 2001
- 3Monopropellant powered actuators for use in autonomous human-scaled robotics15 citations · 2003
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- 7Development of a hot gas actuator for self-powered robots4 citations · 2004