Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Sean Follmer is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-computer interaction, robotics, and tangible computing, whose work has fundamentally shaped how we think about physical interfaces between humans and machines. Best known for his contributions to swarm user interfaces and shape-changing displays, Follmer has developed a series of landmark systems that bring computation into the physical world in dynamic, interactive ways. His platform Zooids (2016, 254 citations) introduced swarm interfaces as a new paradigm for tabletop interaction, while LineFORM and ChainFORM advanced the design space of actuated, modular shape-changing systems. His co-authored "Grand Challenges in Shape-Changing Interface Research" (2018, 230 citations) has become an essential reference for the field. Beyond displays, Follmer has made significant strides in soft robotics and haptics, developing layer-jamming brakes, untethered soft robots, and SwarmHaptics — systems that blur the boundary between computation and physical sensation. Projects like Rovables and REACH+ further demonstrate his range, from on-body robotics to immersive haptic feedback in virtual environments. With over 1,300 citations across his top works, Follmer's research consistently opens new frontiers in how humans physically experience and manipulate digital information.