Sarah Dobi
Papers
1
Total Citations
183
H-Index
1
About
Sarah Dobi is a pioneering roboticist whose work bridges mechanical design and bio-inspired locomotion, with a primary focus on tensegrity robotics. Her most influential contribution is the development of SUPERball (Spherical Underactuated Planetary Exploration Robot), an untethered tensegrity robot designed for planetary exploration. In her landmark 2015 paper, cited over 180 times, Dobi detailed the system design and locomotion of SUPERball—a lightweight, deformable robot composed of tensioned cables and rigid rods that can roll, bounce, and withstand impacts. This work, conducted at NASA Ames Research Center's Intelligent Robotics Group and the Dynamic Tensegrity Robotics Lab, represents the first full prototype of its kind, demonstrating how tensegrity structures can enable robust, energy-efficient mobility in extreme environments. Dobi's research has profound implications for space exploration, search-and-rescue, and soft robotics, offering a paradigm shift from traditional rigid robots to adaptable, resilient systems. Her achievements include advancing NASA's mission concepts for future planetary rovers and inspiring a new generation of researchers in compliant robotics and bio-inspired design.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1System design and locomotion of SUPERball, an untethered tensegrity robot183 citations · 2015