Papers
14
Total Citations
404
H-Index
11
About
W. Driesen is a pioneering robotics researcher whose work has fundamentally advanced the field of mobile microrobotics, with particular focus on piezoelectric actuation, micro-manipulation, and autonomous miniature robotic systems. Based primarily at EPFL's Laboratoire de Systèmes Robotiques (LSRO), Driesen's research addresses one of engineering's most demanding frontiers: building functional, autonomous robots at the scale of just a few cubic millimeters. Among his most influential contributions is the development of collaborative micro-manipulation platforms using adhesion-based strategies, which garnered 86 citations, and the MICRON autonomous cell-manipulation robot (80 citations), both published in 2005. These works tackled critical scaling challenges that plague conventional robotic systems. His introduction of the Modulated Friction Inertial Drive (MFID) locomotion principle offered an elegant solution to the power and size constraints inherent in millimeter-scale robots, earning significant community recognition. Driesen also made notable contributions to piezoelectric actuator energy analysis, solar-cell-based positioning systems for microrobots, and comprehensive reviews of actuation principles for miniature systems. With cumulative citations exceeding 370 across ten key publications, his body of work has substantially shaped how researchers approach locomotion, actuation, and manipulation at the micro- and nanoscale, with promising applications in minimally invasive surgery, cell biology, and materials science.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Micro manipulation by adhesion with two collaborating mobile micro robots86 citations · 2005
- 2MICRON: Small Autonomous Robot for Cell Manipulation Applications80 citations · 2005
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- 4Friction based locomotion module for mobile MEMS robots34 citations · 2007
- 5Energy consumption of piezoelectric actuators for inertial drives23 citations · 2004
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- 8Monolithic piezoelectric actuators for miniature robotic systems16 citations · 2004
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