Learning-based Robot Co-design: Generative and Iterative Approaches
IROS 2026, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvnia, USA
Thursday, 1 Octorber, 8:00 -- 12:30 AM
IROS 2026, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvnia, USA
Thursday, 1 Octorber, 8:00 -- 12:30 AM
Recent advances in foundation models, large language models, and generative models are beginning to reshape how researchers approach robot co-design. At the same time, robot co-design has long relied on iterative paradigms such as reinforcement learning, optimization, and evolutionary search. While both directions have shown promise, their relative strengths, limitations, and opportunities for integration remain unclear. This workshop focuses on learning-based robot co-design, with particular emphasis on two complementary paradigms: generative approaches that propose novel robot embodiments and morphologies, and iterative approaches that improve designs through reinforcement learning, optimization, or evolutionary search. By bringing these perspectives together, the workshop aims to foster discussion on how recent advances in generative AI are changing the co-design landscape, when different paradigms are most effective, and whether hybrid approaches can unlock new capabilities. The workshop will bring together researchers working on robot co-design, generative design, reinforcement learning, and optimization-based design, providing a platform to present recent advances and discuss future directions for learning-based robot co-design.
Topics of Interest Include:
• Generative design for novel robot morphologies (e.g., using LLMs or diffusion models)
• RL- and optimization-based co-design of structure
• Sim-to-real transfer and real-world experimentation
• Hardware constraints, physical fabrication, and feedback-driven refinement
Northwestern University
The University of Tokyo
University of Cambridge
TBC.
Kevin Qiu · University of Warsaw
Yanyuan Qiao · EPFL
Aadditional speaker · TBC
TBC.
EPFL
EPFL
EPFL
University of Bristol
University of Bristol