Thomas Buchner

Thomas Buchner

Thomas Buchner

Student / Programme Doctorate at D-MAVT

ETH Zürich

Professur für Robotik

CLA F 3

Tannenstrasse 3

8092 Zürich

Switzerland

Additional information

Research area

My vision is to create robots that interact with the world in a natural way. My research therefore focuses on the design and fabrication of robotic systems comprised of soft-rigid hybrid structures. By using materials with properties similar to those of their natural model, actuators and robots can make use of functionality inherent in their natural design. Electrostatic transducers allow robots to move efficient and rapid while staying silent.

Profile:

Researcher with a background in experimental physics and engineering. Expertise in additive manufacturing, system integration, (medical) imaging, and high voltage electrostatic actuation systems.

Academic experience:

  • 2020–current PhD in Mechanical and Process Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zürich), Switzerland
  • 2018–2019 Master's Thesis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
  • 2017–2018 Exchange Semester, Tsinghua University, China
  • 2016–2020 M.Sc. in Physics, Technical University Munich (TUM), Germany
  • 2010–2014 B.Sc. in Physics, Heidelberg University, Germany

Publications:

  • Microfluidic Tissue Engineering and Bio‐actuation
    M Filippi, T Buchner, O Yasa, S Weirich, RK Katzschmann; Advanced Materials, 2108427; 2022
  • Slot-Die Coating of an On-the-Shelf Polymer with Increased Dielectric Permittivity for Stack Actuators
    M Iacob, A Verma, T Buchner, Y Sheima, R Katzschmann, DM Opris; ACS Applied Polymer Materials 4 (1), 150-157; 2021
  • Scaling Up Soft Robotics: A Meter-Scale, Modular, and Reconfigurable Soft Robotic System
    S Li, SA Awale, KE Bacher, TJ Buchner, C Della Santina, RJ Wood, D Rus; Soft Robotics; 4 2021
  • SoPrA: Fabrication & Dynamical Modeling of a Scalable Soft Continuum Robotic Arm with Integrated Proprioceptive Sensing
    Y Toshimitsu, KW Wong, T Buchner, R Katzschmann; 2021 IEEE/RSJ IROS; 2021
  • A soft robotic device for patient immobilization in sitting and reclined positions for a compact proton therapy system
    T Buchner, S Yan, S Li, J Flanz, F Hueso-González, E Kielty, T Bortfeld, Daniela Rus; 2020 8th IEEE RAS/EMBS BioRob; 2020
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