Robert Baines
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Postdoctoral Fellow, Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University, 2023
M.S., Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University, 2019
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Rice University, 2017
Email:
rbaines@ethz.ch
About Me
About Me
My vision is to achieve adaptive machines that move through and interact with diverse environments to help humanity secure a more sustainable and productive future.
Investigating the juncture of robot structural design, control, and material composition, my research seeks fundamental scientific advances as well as practical robot embodiments that could be used in applications such as environmental monitoring, industrial inspection and maintenance, and space exploration.
My work has been published in high-impact journals and conferences, including Nature (cover article), Advanced Materials (frontispiece image), and Nature Communications (designated as a top-50 "device" paper), and featured in media outlets such as NBC, Reuters, and Popular Science. I am the recipient of multiple research awards, including the Branco Weiss Society in Science Fellowship, RSS Pioneer Award, Robosoft Rising Star Award, ETH Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
Download my cv for more info.
Recent News
Recent News
✈️ [July 2025] I gave invited talks at Oxford University and Imperial College London.
✈️ [July 2025] I gave a talk at the European Society of Biomechanics meeting in Zurich.
✈️ [June 2025] I gave an invited talk at RSS 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
✈️ [May 2025] I gave an invited talk and organized a workshop on amphibious robotics at ICRA 2025 in Altanta, GA.
⭐ [April 2025] I was named a Robotics: Science and Systems Pioneer!
⭐ [April 2025] I was selected as a Rising Star in Soft Robotics at IEEE RoboSoft 2025 in Lausanne, Switzerland, and gave several talks!
📚 [March 2025] "Decreasing the Cost of Morphing in Adaptive Morphogenetic Robots" was published in Advanced Intelligent Systems!
✈️ [March 2025] I gave invited talks at Duke University and ETH Zurich.
✈️ [November 2024] I was part of a team that gave the annual Branco Weiss lecture at ETH Zurich!
📚 [November 2024] "Robots that evolve on demand" was published in Nature Reviews Materials!
📷 [September 2024] The work on "Robust ladder climbing with a quadrupedal robot" was featured in Tech Crunch, Fox News, IEEE Spectrum, Interesting Engineering, and other media outlets.
📚 [July 2024] "The need for reproducible research in soft robotics" was published in Nature Machine Intelligence!
✈️ [April 2024] I gave two invited talks during Robosoft 2024, in San Diego, CA.
✈️ [February 2024] I gave an invited talk at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems' Scientific Symposium.
Research Highlights
Research Highlights
Quadruped robots are proliferating in industrial environments where they carry sensor suites and serve as autonomous inspection platforms. However, they are still unable to reliably negotiate ubiquitous features of industrial infrastructure: ladders. Inability to traverse ladders prevents quadrupeds from inspecting dangerous locations, puts humans in harm's way, and reduces industrial site productivity. In this work, we enable quadrupedal ladder climbing via a reinforcement learning-based control policy and a complementary hooked end-effector. In simulation, we show the robustness of the robot across different ladder inclinations, rung geometries, and inter-rung spacings. On hardware, we demonstrate zero-shot transfer over a variety of ladder configurations, consistent climbing performance during unmodeled perturbations, and climbing speeds 232x faster than the state of the art. This work was accepted at IROS 2025 and is published as a preprint on ArXiv, and highlights synergies between robot morphology and control policy when performing complex skills.
Most mobile robots are designed to operate in one environment—land, water, or air—with high efficiency. Their structures and control policies are pre-optimized for locomotion in a specific medium. As robots expand beyond structured spaces and into the wild, what if they could adapt their shapes and gaits to specialize across multiple environments? With this work, we introduce a quadruped robot that is able to adapt its morphology and control policy for locomotion through aquatic, terrestrial, and transition (e.g. beach-like) environments. By changing its limbs between hydrodynamic flipper and load-bearing leg shapes, the robot locomotes though multiple environments with comparable, and in some cases, better efficiency than robots designed to operate only in one environment. The work was featured on the cover of Nature and broadly showcases the efficacy of a new robotic design paradigm, “adaptive morphogenesis,” wherein adaptive robot morphology and behaviors are realized through unified structural and actuation systems.
balloons_math_trimmed.mp4Programming the shape of inflatable structures could open up new possibilities in robotics, deployable architecture, and surgery. However, due to extreme material and geometric nonlinearity of 3D inflatables, creating models that predict their shape in computationally efficient ways has remained an elusive challenge. This work presents an inverse design method to realize inflatables that match diverse 3D target curves. The method consists of a reduced-order model that outputs approximate initial conditions for a subsequent finite element simulator nested within an optimization loop. Crucially, the two-tiered process results in convergence on viable inflatable designs up to an order of magnitude faster than using finite element analysis alone. We show how the inverse design method can be used to create new and complex robotic manipulation functionality, such as self-tying knots and bespoke robotic manipulators for grasping disparately shaped objects. The work was featured as the frontispiece image of Advanced Materials and generally steps toward efficient computational models that could one day be used to optimize the configuration of soft robots in real-time.
Today’s autonomous robots are outfitted with dozens of separate sensors, each one made for detecting a single stimuli. If future robots are to reach the exceptional sensory capabilities of biological organisms, a promising avenue may be to explore highly integrated sensing solutions. Detecting and decoding multiple stimuli with a single sensor is usually tedious, requiring intricate and fragile sensor constructions or data-driven signal processing techniques that do not abstract to different conditions. In this work, we introduce a sensing technology capable of decoding numerous stimuli all at once: omnidirectional bending, compression, stretch, and changes in temperature. The sensor employs colorful dyes that act as selective wavelength filters, augmenting the intensity and wavelength of light that shines through it. The type and magnitude of stimuli can be extracted from unique optical signatures using a simple thresholding algorithm. A single sensor can be used to reconstruct the configuration of an origami robot, provide feedback for closed-loop control of a continuum manipulator, or replace dozens of sensors on a exosuit for pose reconstruction. The work was was featured in an editor’s selection as “top 50 published device papers” in Nature Communications, demonstrating a simple and robust method to enable information dense sensing in future machines.
Publications
Publications
Journal Articles
J. Green, D. Bozinovski, F. Tishhauser, M. Hutter, and R. Baines. "Steerable High Jumping Tensegrity Robot for Space Exploration." IEEE Transactions on Field Robotics. (Accepted)
L. Ramirez, R. Baines, B. Yang, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Decreasing the Cost of Morphing in Adaptive Morphogenetic Robots.” Advanced Intelligent Systems. 2401055. 2025.
R. Baines, F. Fish, J. Bongard, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Robots that evolve on demand.” Nature Reviews Materials. 2024.
R. Baines, D. Shah, J. Marvel, J. Case, and A. Spielberg. “The need for reproducible research in soft robotics.” Nature Machine Intelligence, 6, 740–741. 2024.
J. Jeong, Injoong Kim, Y. Choi, S. Lim, S. Kim, H. Kang, D. Shah, R. Baines, J. W. Booth, R. Kramer-Bottiglio, and S.Y. Kim. “Spikebot: a Multigait Tensegrity Robot with Linearly Extending Struts.” Soft Robotics, 11, 207-217. 2024.
R. Baines, F. Zuliani, N. Chennoufi, S. Joshi, R. Kramer-Bottiglio, and J. Paik. “Multimodal deformation and temperature sensing for context-sensitive machines.” Nature Communications, 14, 7499. 2023. Selected by editors as one of the “top-50 device papers.”
R. Baines, B. Yang, L. Ramirez, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio, “Kirigami Layer Jamming.” Extreme Mechanics Letters, 64, 102084. 2023.
R. Baines, S. Patiballa, B. Gorissen, K. Bertoldi, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Programming 3D curves with discretely constrained inflatables.” Advanced Materials, 2300535. 2023. Frontispiece article.
R. Baines*, S. Patiaballa*, J. Booth, L. Ramirez, T. Sipple, A. Garcia, F. Fish, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Multi-environment robotic transitions through adaptive morphogenesis.” Nature, 610, 283–289. 2022. Cover article. Selected by Nature Editors for inclusion in a special online collection of content on AI and robotics.
R. Baines, S. Patiballa, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Morphing limbs for amphibious robots” in “Roadmap on soft robotics: multifunctionality, adaptability and growth without borders.” Multifunctional Materials, 5, No. 3, 46–48. 2022.
D. Shah*, J. Booth*, R. Baines, Kun Wang, Massimo Vespignani, Kostas Bekris, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Tensegrity Robotics.” Soft Robotics, 9, No. 4, 639–656. 2021.
B. Yang*, R. Baines*, D. Shah, S. Patiballa, E. Thomas, M. Venkadesan, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Reprogrammable soft actuation and shape-shifting via tensile jamming.” Science Advances, 7, No. 40. 2021.
R. Baines, J. Booth, and R. Kramer. “Rolling soft membrane-driven tensegrity robots.” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters. 5, No. 4. 2020.
R. Baines, Simon Freeman, F. Fish, and Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio. “Variable Stiffness Morphing Limb for Amphibious Legged Robots Inspired by Chelonian Environmental Adaptations.” Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, 15, 025002. 2020.
S.Y. Kim*, R. Baines*, J. Booth, N. Vasios, K. Bertoldi, and R. Kramer. “Reconfigurable soft body trajectories using unidirectionally stretchable composite laminae.” Nature Communications, 10, 3464. 2019.
F. Zhang, Y. Ge, H. Chu, P. Dong, R. Baines, Y.Pei, M. Ye, and J. Shen., “Dual-Functional Starfish-like P-Doped Co–Ni–S Nanosheets Supported on Nickel Foams with Enhanced Electrochemical Performance and Excellent Stability for Overall Water Splitting,” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 10, 7087–7095. 2018.
H. Wang, J. Tang, Y. Li, H. Chu, Y. Ge, R. Baines, P. Dong, PM Ayajan, J. Shen, and M. Ye. “Template-free solvothermal preparation of ternary FeNi 2 S 4 hollow balloons as RuO 2 -like efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction with superior stability,” Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 6, 19417–19424. 2018.
Z. Cui, Y. Ge, H. Chu, R. Baines, P. Dong, J. Tang, Y. Yang, P. M. Ajayan, M. Ye and J. Shen. “Controlled synthesis of Mo-doped Ni3S2 nano-rods: an efficient and stable electro-catalyst for water splitting.” J. Mater. Chem. A, 5, 1595–1602. 2017.
Y. Pei, Y. Yang, F. Zhang, P. Dong, R. Baines, Y. Ge, H. Chu, P. M. Ajayan, J. Shen, and M. Ye. “Controlled Electrodeposition Synthesis of Co-Ni-P Film as a Flexible and Inexpensive Electrode for Efficient Overall Water Splitting.” ACS applied materials & interfaces, 9, 31887–31896. 2017.
Y. Pei, X. Li, H. Chu, Y. Ge, P. Dong, R. Baines, L. Pei, M. Ye, and J. Shen. “Anion-exchange engineering of cookie-like Bi2S3/Bi2MoO6 heterostructure for enhanced photocatalytic activities and gas-sensing properties.” Talanta, 165, 44–51. 2017.
Y. Pei, T. Fan, H. Chu, T. Ge, Y. Yang, P. Dong, R. Baines, M. Ye, and J. Shen. “Synthesis of N doped graphene quantum dots-interspersed CdWO4 heterostructure nanorods as an effective photocatalyst with enhanced photoelectrochemical performance.” Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 724, 1014–1022. 2017.
Y. Ge, S. P. Gao, P. Dong, R. Baines, P. M. Ajayan, M. Ye and J. Shen. “Insight into the hydrogen evolution reaction of nickel dichalcogenide nanosheets: activities related to non-metal ligands.” Nanoscale, 9, 5538–5544. 2017.
X. Xu, H. Chu, Z. Zhang, P. Dong, R. Baines, P. M. Ajayan, J. Shen, and M. Ye. “An Integrated Energy Aerogel of N,S-rGO/WSe2/NiFe-LDH for Both Energy Conversion and Storage.” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 9, 32756–32766. 2017.
M. Wang, X. Xu, Y. Ge, P. Dong, R. Baines, P. M. Ajayan, M. Ye, and J. Shen. “Surface Tension Components Ratio: An Efficient Parameter for Direct Liquid Phase Exfoliation.” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 9, 9168–9175. 2017.
J. Shen, Y. Pei, M. Wang, Y. Ge, P. Dong, J. Yuan, R. Baines, P. M. Ajayan, and M. Ye. “Simultaneous Preparation and Functionalization of 2D Materials Assisted by Amphiphilic MoS2 Nanosheets.” Adv. Mater. Interfaces, 4. 2016.
Y. Li, Z. Zhang, T. Fan, X. Li, J. Ji, P. Dong, R. Baines, J. Shen, and M. Ye. “Magnetic Core–Shell to Yolk–Shell Structures in Palladium-Catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura Reactions: Heterogeneous versus Homogeneous Nature.” ChemPlusChem, 81(6), 564–573. 2016.
X. Xu, Y. Yang, M. Wang, P. Dong, Z. Zhang, R. Baines, J. Shen, and M. Ye. “Straightforward synthesis of hierarchical Co3O4@CoWO4/rGO core- shell arrays on Ni as hybrid electrodes for asymmetric supercapacitors.” Ceramics International, 42, 10719–10725. 2016.
X. Xu, Y. Ge, M. Wang, Z. Zhang, P. Dong, R. Baines, M. Ye, and J. Shen. “Cobalt-Doped FeSe2-RGO as Highly Active and Stable Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reactions.” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 8, 18036–18042. 2016.
S. Lei, X. Wang, B. Li, J. Kang, Y. He, A. George, L. Ge, Y. Gong, P. Dong, Z. Jin, G. Brunetto, W. Chen, Z. Lin, R. Baines, D. S. Galvão, J. Lou, E. Barrera, K. Banerjee, R. Vajtai, and P. M. Ajayan. “Surface functionalization of two-dimensional metal chalcogenides by Lewis acid–base chemistry.” Nature Nanotechnology 11, 465–471. 2016.
J. Shen, P. Dong, R. Baines, X. Xu, Z. Zhang, P. M. Ajayan, and M. Ye. “Controlled Synthesis and Comparison of NiCo2S4/graphene/2D TMDs Ternary Nanocomposites for High-performance Supercapacitors.” Chemical Communications, 52, 9251–9254. 2016.
J. Shen, Y. Pei, P. Dong, J. Ji, Z. Cui, J. Yuan, R. Baines, P. M. Ajayan, and M. Ye. “Layer-by-layer Self-Assembly of Polyelectrolyte Functionalized MoS2 Nanosheets.” Nanoscale, 8, 9641–9647. 2016.
J. Shen, X. Xu, P. Dong, Z. Zhang, R. Baines, J. Ji, Y. Pei, and M. Ye. “Design and Synthesis of Three-Dimensional needle-like CoNi2S4/CNT/graphene Nanocomposite with Improved Electrochemical Properties.” Ceramics International, 42, 8120–8127. 2016.
J. Shen, J. Ji, P. Dong, R. Baines, Z. Zhang, P. M. Ajayan, and M. Ye. “Novel FeNi2S4/TMD-based ternary composites for supercapacitor applications,” J. Mater. Chem. A, 4, 8844–8850. 2016.
J. Shen, J. Wu, M. Wang, Y. Ge, P. Dong, R. Baines, G. Brunetto, L. D. Machado, P. M. Ajayan, and M. Ye. “Insight into in-situ amphiphilic functionalization of few-layered transition metal dichalcogenides nanosheets.” Advanced Materials, 28, 8469–8476. 2016.
J. Shen, J. Tang, P. Dong, Z. Zhang, J. Ji, R. Baines, and M. Ye. “Construction of three-dimensional CuCo2S4/CNT/graphene nanocomposite for high performance supercapacitors.” RSC Adv., 6, 13456–13460. 2016.
Refereed Conference Articles
D. Vogel*, R. Baines*, J. Church, J. Lotzer, K. Werner, and M. Hutter. “Robust ladder climbing with a quadrupedal robot.” 2025 IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (Accepted; preprint available on arXiv)
C. Friedrich, M. Gomez, G. Métois, F. Shi, M. Hutter, and R. Baines. "RoboWrangler: Toward Rope-based Grasping for Mobile Manipulation." IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics. 2025.
J. Sun, B. Lin, L. Ramirez, E. Figueroa, R. Baines, B. Yang, E. Marroquin, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Performance enhancement of a morphing limb for an amphibious robotic turtle using dual-mode jamming.” IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, 374–379. 2024.
R. Baines, S. Patiballa, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Rapidly Reconfigurable Inextensible Inflatables.” IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, 29–34. 2021.
A. Morgan*, R. Baines*, H. MckLintock, and B. Scassellatti. “A rolling cuboid robot for tactile topogrpahic mapping.” IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, 3597–3602. 2019.
R. Baines, J. Booth, F. Fish, and R. Kramer. “A variable stiffness morphing robotic limb for amphibious locomotion.” IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, 704–710. 2019. Best paper finalist.
Book Chapter
R. Baines, F. Fish, and R. Kramer-Bottiglio. “Amphibious Robotic Propulsive Mechanisms: Current Technologies and Open Challenges.” In Bioinspired Sensing, Actuation, and Control in Underwater Soft Robotic Systems. Eds. D. Paley and N Wereley, Springer. 2021.
* authors contributed equally
Funding and Collaborators
Funding and Collaborators
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