Manuel Keppler

Biography

I lead the Elastic Robot Control group at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, and I am a part-time Assistant Professor in the Robotics section at Eindhoven University of Technology. I also direct the control development of DLR's humanoid neoDavid.

I joined DLR in 2014, became control team leader in 2019 and founded my group in 2023. In 2019 and 2020 I was a visiting researcher at Sapienza University of Rome, working with Alessandro De Luca. I hold a PhD in computer science from the Technical University of Munich and degrees in mechanical engineering from TU Wien. Before engineering I studied astronomy, molecular biology and neuroscience at the University of Vienna.

I co-founded and co-chair the IEEE RAS Technical Committee on Robot Control.

Positions

  • Assistant Professor (part-time), Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Robotics section
  • Group Leader, Elastic Robot Control, DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics
  • Control Lead for the humanoid neoDavid, DLR
  • Visiting Researcher, Sapienza University of Rome, with Alessandro De Luca
  • Research Scientist, DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics

Education

  • PhD in Computer Science, summa cum laude, Technical University of Munich. Advisor: Alin Albu-Schäffer
  • MSc in Mechanical Engineering, with highest distinction, TU Wien
  • BSc in Mechanical Engineering, with highest distinction, TU Wien
  • BSc in Molecular Biology, University of Vienna
  • Astronomy, University of Vienna

Awards

  • Finalist, DLR Young Investigator Group competition, with the proposal SAFER on ultra-lightweight flexible space robots. One of two finalists across DLR's space and energy domains
  • Georges Giralt PhD Award, for the best doctoral thesis in robotics in Europe
  • RSS Pioneers, a cohort of early-career researchers selected at Robotics: Science and Systems (22% acceptance)
  • IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters Best Paper Award, Honorable Mention
  • TUM Graduate School Internationalization Grant
  • ICRA Best Automation Paper Award, Finalist
  • Munich Aerospace Doctoral Scholarship
  • Grant for Diploma Theses Abroad, TU Wien

Invited talks

  • Bridging the Divide: Unified Control of Rigid and Elastic Robots. RBT Robotics Seminar, TU Eindhoven
  • Bridging the Divide: Unified Control for Rigid and Elastic Robots. RSS 2024 Workshop on Semantics for Robotics, Delft. Recording
  • Interaction Control of Articulated Soft Robots. RSS 2022 Workshop on Variable Impedance Learning and Control, New York
  • Control of Soft Robots. DIAG, Sapienza University of Rome

Service

  • Associate Editor, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
  • Associate Editor, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
  • Associate Editor, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
  • Co-organiser, workshops on Open Challenges and Emerging Opportunities in Robot Control at ECC 2026 and the IFAC World Congress 2026
  • Moderator, Geriatronics Summit 2025, breakout group on safe physical human-robot interaction for frail users
  • General Co-Chair, RSS Pioneers 2024, Delft
  • Program Committee, 17th International Workshop on Human-Friendly Robotics
  • General Co-Chair, 16th International Workshop on Human-Friendly Robotics, Munich
  • Organiser and speaker, IROS 2023 workshop No More Slow Flexible Robots, Detroit
  • IJRR, T-RO, TCST, T-MECH, ToH, RA-L, European Journal of Control, Actuators, RSS, IROS, ICRA, Humanoids

Funding

  • SELFSENSE, EIC Pathfinder (EU). Principal investigator. More information to follow.
  • SwingBots, ERC Proof of Concept, €150k. Delegated project lead; PI: Alin Albu-Schäffer

Teaching

  • Teaching assistant for Mechanics 1 and Mechanics 2, TU Wien, including two years leading exercise sessions