Papers
36
Total Citations
850
H-Index
14
About
Woosub Lee is a leading roboticist whose research focuses on safe human-robot interaction, variable stiffness actuation, and mobile robotics for hazardous environments. His most influential work centers on developing compliant robot joints that balance safety and performance—a critical challenge for service robots operating near humans. His 2011 paper on a variable stiffness joint using leaf springs (215 citations) introduced an elegant mechanical design that allows manipulators to adjust their rigidity on the fly, reducing injury risk without sacrificing precision. Lee also pioneered the ROBHAZ-DT3 mobile platform (57 citations), a double-tracked robot with a passive adaptive mechanism that enables negotiation of rough terrain for rescue and nuclear decommissioning missions. His work on reconfigurable manipulators (ModMan, 46 citations) and magnetic wall-climbing robots (Gunryu III, 52 citations) further demonstrates his versatility in creating adaptable, field-ready systems. With over 600 total citations, Lee’s contributions have advanced both fundamental actuation principles and practical deployment in dangerous environments, making him a key figure in the development of safer, more capable robots for real-world applications.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1A Robot Joint With Variable Stiffness Using Leaf Springs215 citations · 2011
- 2Design of a robot joint with variable stiffness86 citations · 2008
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- 5A variable stiffness joint using leaf springs for robot manipulators50 citations · 2009
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- 8A 2-dof gravity compensator with bevel gears34 citations · 2012
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