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About

Tatiana Figurina is a leading researcher in the field of optimal control and dynamics of multi-body systems, with a particular focus on vibration-driven locomotion and motion in resistive media. Her work fundamentally addresses how internal mass movements can be harnessed to achieve controlled, efficient motion of rigid bodies on rough planes and through resistive environments. Her most impactful contribution, "Optimal control of the rectilinear motion of a rigid body on a rough plane by means of the motion of two internal masses" (2008, 71 citations), established foundational principles for designing energy-efficient propulsion strategies. She further advanced this area with her 2012 study on two-body systems in resistive media (58 citations), which has become a cornerstone reference for researchers developing robotic locomotion systems. Figurina's investigations into periodic regimes of motion (2019) and quasistatic motions of three-body mechanisms (2014) have provided critical insights into the stability and control of complex vibration-driven systems. Her work bridges theoretical optimal control with practical applications in robotics and mechanical engineering, offering elegant mathematical frameworks for understanding how internal dynamics can produce net external motion. Through her sustained focus on periodic and quasistatic motion regimes, Figurina has established herself as a key contributor to the theory of locomotion without external appendages.