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About

Rodney Gleason’s research centers on the energetics and control of legged locomotion, with a particular focus on bipedal robots. His major contributions include the design and development of RAMone, a series-elastic planar biped robot built to systematically study how gait selection and mechanical design influence energy efficiency. In his most-cited work, “The Energetic Benefit of Robotic Gait Selection” (28 citations), Gleason demonstrated through trajectory optimization that different gaits are energetically optimal at different speeds, providing foundational insights for adaptive locomotion. He also advanced robot safety and experimental fidelity by designing a support and recovery system for planar legged robots, enabling transparent, force-free tracking during dynamic tests. Gleason’s investigation into foot stiffness and damping (9 citations) revealed how material properties like Sorbothane and Norsorex affect walking stability and economy, bridging soft robotics and biomechanics. His work on RAMone’s hardware and virtual-model control (9 citations) showcases his ability to integrate design, control, and empirical analysis. With a growing citation record and a focus on practical, energetically-informed robot design, Gleason’s research is shaping the next generation of efficient, adaptive legged machines.