Tianyi Ko
Papers
11
Total Citations
173
H-Index
8
About
Tianyi Ko is a robotics researcher specializing in electro-hydrostatic actuation (EHA), humanoid robot design, and compliant locomotion systems. His work centers on solving one of robotics' most persistent engineering challenges: achieving high torque density while maintaining backdrivability — the ability of robot joints to yield safely to external forces, a critical requirement for robots operating alongside humans in unpredictable environments. Ko is perhaps best known as a principal contributor to the development of **Hydra**, an adult-sized humanoid robot whose 40 joints are driven entirely by EHAs. His most-cited paper (46 citations) details the mechanism and control architecture underlying this system, while subsequent work demonstrated compliant biped locomotion and a sophisticated triple-loop feedback control strategy. He has also advanced the hardware foundations of EHA technology through innovations in miniaturized hydraulic pump design, ceramics-reinforced components with reduced internal leakage, and compact wrist mechanisms for robotic arms. Collectively, Ko's publications have accumulated over 170 citations, reflecting meaningful influence within the humanoid and hydraulic robotics communities. His research provides both theoretical frameworks and practical engineering blueprints for building powerful, safe, and field-deployable robots — contributions increasingly relevant as robotics moves into disaster response and human-collaborative applications.
Research Focus
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