Alan T. Asbeck, Ph.D.
EDUCATION
Stanford University
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, 2010
Thesis: "Compliant directional suspensions for
climbing with spines and adhesives."
Professor Mark Cutkosky (Adviser)
Phone: 858.442.1870
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: people.seas.harvard.edu/~aasbeck/
60 Oxford St. Rm. 409, Cambridge, MA, 02138
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering, 2003
Thesis: "Analysis of Frequency-Smearing Models
Simulating Hearing Loss."
B.S. in Physics, 2003
B.S. in Electrical Engineering, 2002
APPOINTMENTS
HARVARD UNIVERSITY / WYSS INSTITUTE
Cambridge, MA (06/12 - Present)
Research Scientist – Biodesign Lab with Professor Conor Walsh (08/14 – Present)
Previous Appointment: Postdoctoral Research Fellow (06/12-07/14)
 Lead designer of several textile-based "exosuit" systems that assist the wearer during walking
 Performed biomechanical analysis to determine suit architectures and actuation strategy.
 Modeled power transfer from actuators to human and the suit-human interaction.
 Developed control algorithms to synchronize the exosuits with the wearer's motion.
 Collaborated on a proposal for DARPA “Task B Warrior Web” program. Proposal + progress
on the initial “Task A” grant resulted in a $2.9 million award for continued development.
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Palo Alto, CA (04/04 – 05/12)
Postdoctoral Researcher – Artificial Intelligence Lab with Professor Andrew Ng (04/10-05/12)
 Lead mechanical designer of a low-cost, series elastic humanoid robotic arm.
Doctoral Researcher – Biomimetics Lab, Stanford under Prof. Mark Cutkosky (04/04-04/10)
 Primary inventor and developer of microspine technology for adhesion to rough surfaces.
Applied technology to climbing robots, human climbing, and airplane perching.
 Robot prototyping: Designed Spinybot I and II, foot and ankle prototypes for the RiSE robot,
and investigated penetration-based and dry adhesion mechanisms.
 Research on adhesion initially funded by the RiSE DARPA program. Progress on microspine
technology significantly contributed toward the creation of a new DARPA program – “ZMan.”
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Cambridge, MA (06/02-05/03)
Research Assistant – Sensory Communication Group under Prof. Louis Braida
 M.Eng. research on simulating hearing loss via digital signal processing of audio files.
JOURNAL PAPERS
A. Asbeck, S.M.M. DeRossi, K. Holt, and C. Walsh, "A Biologically-Inspired Soft Exosuit for
Walking Assistance," Int. J. of Robotics Research, (accepted pending revisions).
A. Asbeck, S.M.M. De Rossi, I. Galiana, Y. Ding, and C. Walsh, "Stronger, Smarter, Softer: Next
Generation Wearable Robots," IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, (in press).
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Asbeck – CV
A. Asbeck, K. Schmidt, and C. Walsh, "Soft Exosuit for Hip Assistance," Robotics and Autonomous
Systems, (in press).
A. Asbeck, P. Polygerinos, E. Roche and C. Walsh, "Biologically-inspired Soft Robots," IEEE
Potentials Magazine, (accepted pending revisions).
E. Hawkes, E. Eason, A. Asbeck, and M. Cutkosky, "The Gecko's Toe: Scaling Directional
Adhesives for Climbing Applications," IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 2013.
A. Asbeck and M. Cutkosky, "Designing Compliant Spine Mechanisms for Climbing," ASME
Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, 2012.
A. Lussier Desbiens, A. Asbeck, and M. Cutkosky, "Landing, Perching, and Taking Off from
Vertical Surfaces," Int. J. of Robotics Research, 2011.
A. Asbeck, S. Kim, M. Cutkosky, W. Provancher, and M. Lanzetta, "Scaling Hard Vertical Surfaces
with Compliant Microspine Arrays," Int. J. of Robotics Research, 2006.
CONFERENCE PAPERS AND WORKSHOPS
A. Asbeck, K. Schmidt, I. Galiana, C. Walsh, "Multi-joint Soft Exosuit for Gait Assistance," Int.
Conf. on Robotics and Automation, 2015 (submitted).
Y. Ding, I. Galiana, A. Asbeck, B. Quinlivan, S.M.M. De Rossi, C. Walsh, "Multi-joint Actuation
Platform for Lower Extremity Soft Exosuits," Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation, 2014.
A. Asbeck, R. Dyer, A. Larusson, C. Walsh, "Biologically-inspired Soft Exosuit," Int. Conf. on
Rehabilitation Robotics, 2013.
M. Quigley, A. Asbeck, and A. Ng, "A Low-cost Compliant 7-DOF Robotic Manipulator," Int.
Conf. on Robotics and Automation, 2011.
M. Quigley, A. Asbeck, and A. Ng, "Low-Cost Manipulation Powered by ROS," in the Assoc. for
the Adv. of Artificial Intelligence workshop "Enabling Intelligence through Middleware," 2010.
A. Lussier Desbiens, A. Asbeck, and M. Cutkosky, "Hybrid Aerial and Scansorial Robotics," Int.
Conf. on Robotics and Automation, 2010.
A. Lussier Desbiens, A. Asbeck, and M. Cutkosky, "Scansorial Landing and Perching", Proc. 14th
International Symposium on Robotics Research, 2009.
A. Asbeck, S. Dastoor, A. Parness, L. Fullerton, N. Esparza, D. Soto, B. Heyneman, and M.
Cutkosky, "Climbing rough vertical surfaces with hierarchical directional adhesion," Int. Conf. on
Robotics and Automation, 2009.
S. Kim, A. Asbeck, M. Cutkosky, and W. Provancher, "SpinybotII: Climbing Hard Walls with
Compliant Microspines," Int. Conf. on Advanced Robotics, 2005.
A. Asbeck, S. Kim, M. Cutkosky, W. Provancher, and M. Lanzetta, "Scaling hard vertical surfaces
with compliant microspine arrays," Robotics: Science and Systems, 2005.
BOOK CHAPTERS
A. Asbeck, Y. Ding, S.M.M. De Rossi, I. Galiana, C.Walsh, "Case Study: Soft Exosuits for Walking
Assistance," to appear in the next edition of Wearable Robotics: Biomechatronic Exoskeletons
edited by Jose Pons.
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Asbeck – CV
A. Lussier Desbiens, A. Asbeck, and M. Cutkosky, "Scansorial Landing and Perching," Springer
Tracts in Advanced Robotics, 2011, Volume 70/2011, p. 169-184.
POSTERS
S. M. M. De Rossi, A. Asbeck, H. Pei, R. Dyer, A. Larusson, I. Galiana, K. Holt, J. Bae, C. J. Walsh,
"Kinematic and Energetic Effects of a Soft Active Exosuit for Gait Assistance," World Congress of
Biomechanics, 2014.
Y. Ding, I. Galiana, A. Asbeck, B. Quinlivan, S. M. M. De Rossi, C. Walsh, "Multi-joint Actuation
Platform for Gait Biomechanics Studies of Lower Extremity Soft Exosuits," World Congress of
Biomechanics, 2014.
S.M.M. De Rossi, K. O’Donnell, A. Asbeck, Y. Ding, I. Galiana, J. Bae, K. Holt, and C. Walsh, "A
soft exosuit for gait assistance," IDEAS (Innovation, Design, and Emerging Alliances in Surgery)
Symposium, "Surgical Robotics: From Principles to Practice," 2014.
A. Asbeck, R. Dyer, A. Larusson, S.M.M. De Rossi, H. Pei, Y. Ding, I. Galiana, D. Wagner, J. Bae, K.
Holt, and C. Walsh, "Biologically Inspired Soft Exosuit," Smart Clothes Symposium at the Radcliffe
Inst. for Advanced Studies at Harvard University, 2013.
A. Asbeck, R. Dyer, A. Larusson, S.M.M. De Rossi, H. Pei, Y. Ding, I. Galiana, D. Wagner, J. Bae, K.
Holt, and C. Walsh, "Biologically Inspired Soft Exosuit," Wyss Institute Retreat, 2013.
A. Asbeck, B. Dyer, A. Larusson, S.M.M. DeRossi, H. Pei, Y. Ding, I. Galiana, K. Holt, and C.
Walsh "Biologically Inspired Soft Exosuit," Harvard SEAS Postdoc Recognition Event, 2013.
A. Asbeck, S. Kim, A. McClung, A. Parness, and M. Cutkosky, "Climbing walls with microspines,"
Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation, 2006.
INVITED TALKS AND GUEST LECTURES
“Soft Exosuits for Walking Assistance,” speaker at the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
(MAE) Seminar at University of California, Irvine, to occur in Nov. 2014.
“Designing and Evaluating Soft Exosuits,” speaker at the Topics in Bioengineering Seminar at
Harvard University, Sept. 2014.
"Robotics and Manufacturing," guest lecture in 15.769 Operations Strategy class at the Sloan
School of Business, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dec. 2014.
"Designing Wearable Robotic Systems," guest lecture in ES227 Medical Device Design class at
Harvard University, Mar. 2014.
"Robotics and Manufacturing," guest lecture in Operations Management class at the University of
Lausanne, May 2013.
"The Future of Robotics," guest lecture in Operation Strategy class at the University of Lausanne,
Dec. 2011.
"Springs and Robot Applications," guest lecture in ME112 Mechanical Systems Design class at
Stanford University, Feb. 2011
"Climbing Robot Principles and Design," speaker at the ME396 Design and Manufacturing Forum,
at Stanford University, Mar. 2005.
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Asbeck – CV
MISCELLANEOUS
Fellowships/Awards:
Best Poster: IDEAS Symposium Harvard University
3rd place: Biodesign Bike Safety Invention Challenge Stanford University
Best Video: International Conference on Robotics and Automation
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
04/14
02/09
06/06
06/02
Service to the field:
Reviewer (Journals): IEEE Transactions on Mechatronics, IEEE Transactions on Robotics,
IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine
Reviewer (Conferences): IEEE ICRA, IEEE IROS, IEEE BioRob, IEEE ICORR
Judge, National 2014 ASME Student Robotics Design Competition
Mentoring:
Kai Schmidt: Harvard Univ. Visiting Master's student 2013 – beginning a PhD at ETH in February
Matthew Yarri: Harvard Univ. Senior Thesis 2013 – winner of Hoopes prize for outstanding thesis
Sloan Zimmerman: Harvard Univ. Senior Thesis 2012 – currently MS student at Ohio State Univ.
Charley Ho: Stanford Univ. Artificial Intelligence Lab Summer Intern 2011
Ariel Jiahui Shi: Stanford Univ. Artificial Intelligence Lab Master’s Fall Research Project 2010
Ivan Herrera: Stanford University Biomimetics Lab Summer Intern 2008
Jacobi Grillo: Stanford University Biomimetics Lab Summer Intern 2007
Amanda Valverde: Stanford University Biomimetics Lab Summer Intern 2006
Ji Lee: Stanford University Biomimetics Lab Summer Intern 2004
Dana Ung: Stanford University Biomimetics Lab Summer Intern 2004
PATENTS
Biologically-Inspired Soft Exosuit – A. Asbeck, C. Walsh, et al. (several pending)
Biologically Inspired Climbing Device – A. Asbeck, S. Kim, M. Cutkosky (2011)
Accurate and efficient calibrating device and method – G. Hamilton, Y. Cetin, A. Asbeck (2003)
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