Yordan Tsvetkov

I am an undergraduate student at the University of Edinburgh, a researcher at the Robust Autonomy and Decisions Group and Robotics Engineer at the soft robotics startup Konpanion.

My research output is currently centered around achieving more with less in the field of legged robotics. In my first research project, I developed a quadruped robot capable of rough-terrain walking using neural networks with 8-12 neurons. In my most recent publication at IROS 2022, I presented a design for a four-legged robot capable of manipulation with 1 or 2 limbs while costing 5 times less than a conventional arm while minimally impacting its moment of inertia. I’m currently working on adapting this design for use on the Spot and ANYmal quadruped robots. On the industry side, I interned at Sony’s New Mobility department in Tokyo, assisting in the development of Tachyon - a wheeled-legged hexapod robot. I have also collaborated with the Edinburgh startup Konpanion on the soft social robot Maah and an art installation robot involved in a human-robot dance performance, part of the Edinburgh Futures Conversations programme.

I can be reached by email at Y.T.Tsvetkov@sms.ed.ac.uk.

Aside from robotics, I enjoy scale modelling, animation in Blender and learning new things in general (currently: learning the Pacific Rim theme on the guitar).