Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Sanjay Dastoor is a pioneering roboticist whose work bridges bio-inspired design, adhesion mechanics, and multifunctional locomotion. His research focuses on creating robots that can climb, fly, and jump by emulating the capabilities of animals like geckos, bats, and insects. Dastoor’s most influential contribution is his work on hierarchical directional adhesion, which enabled robots to climb rough vertical surfaces—a breakthrough that has garnered 91 citations and laid the foundation for advanced climbing and perching systems. He further extended this into hybrid aerial and scansorial robotics, developing platforms that combine powered flight with the ability to land and perch on vertical surfaces, a concept with 31 citations. Dastoor also explored bio-inspired control, designing a cerebellum-inspired neural network for dynamic state estimation in robotic arms, and pioneered the use of electroactive polymer actuators for variable impedance suspensions and tunable jumping mechanisms. His work on artificial muscles for jumping robots demonstrates a commitment to lightweight, compliant systems. With a career marked by interdisciplinary innovation and a focus on practical, animal-like agility, Dastoor’s research continues to inspire new generations of robots capable of navigating complex, unstructured environments.