Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Ton van den Boom is a leading researcher in the intersection of discrete-event systems and robotics, with a primary focus on the modeling and control of legged locomotion. His most influential work introduces a novel framework using switching max-plus models—a branch of algebra that describes synchronization and timing in discrete systems—to generate gaits for multi-legged robots. This approach enables intrinsically safe gait transitions, ensuring that robots can switch between walking patterns (e.g., from a trot to a gallop) without destabilizing. His 2014 paper on this topic, with 32 citations, is a cornerstone in the field. Van den Boom further advanced the field by developing optimal gait-switching strategies that minimize velocity variance in stance legs, allowing for smooth acceleration. Beyond robotics, he has contributed to control theory, notably designing an analytic constrained predictive controller approximated by neural networks (10 citations). His work bridges theoretical rigor with practical robotic applications, offering engineers and researchers a systematic method for designing robust, efficient legged locomotion systems.