Miomir Vukobratovic
Encyclopedia
Miomir Vukobratović (born October 1, 1931, Botoš
, near Zrenjanin
, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
) is a Serbia
n mechanical engineer and pioneer in humanoid robot
s. His major interest is in the development of efficient modeling and control
of robot dynamics
.
in 1957 and 1964, respectively, and the D.Sc. degree from the Institute Mashinovedeniya, Soviet (now Russia
n) Academy of Sciences, Moscow
, 1972.
Since 1968 he was head of Biodynamics Department, director of the Laboratory for Robotics and Flexible Automation and director of Robotics Laboratory at the Mihailo Pupin Institute in Belgrade
.
Presently he is advisor for science of general director of the Institute. He is visiting professor teaching graduate courses in robotics at several universities in (former) Yugoslavia and other countries.
He contributed to manipulators’ dynamics in adaptive and non-adaptive control for contact and non-contact tasks.
He also studied dynamic modeling and control in locomotion robots.
In 1970 Vukobratović has proposed a theoretical model to explain and control biped locomotion. The fundamental concept of his model is called the Zero Moment Point
.
Botoš
Botoš is a village located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
, near Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia...
, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
) is a Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n mechanical engineer and pioneer in humanoid robot
Humanoid robot
A humanoid robot or an anthropomorphic robot is a robot with its overall appearance, based on that of the human body, allowing interaction with made-for-human tools or environments. In general humanoid robots have a torso with a head, two arms and two legs, although some forms of humanoid robots...
s. His major interest is in the development of efficient modeling and control
Control engineering
Control engineering or Control systems engineering is the engineering discipline that applies control theory to design systems with predictable behaviors...
of robot dynamics
Dynamics (mechanics)
In the field of physics, the study of the causes of motion and changes in motion is dynamics. In other words the study of forces and why objects are in motion. Dynamics includes the study of the effect of torques on motion...
.
Education
He received the B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of BelgradeUniversity of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
in 1957 and 1964, respectively, and the D.Sc. degree from the Institute Mashinovedeniya, Soviet (now Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n) Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, 1972.
Since 1968 he was head of Biodynamics Department, director of the Laboratory for Robotics and Flexible Automation and director of Robotics Laboratory at the Mihailo Pupin Institute in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
.
Presently he is advisor for science of general director of the Institute. He is visiting professor teaching graduate courses in robotics at several universities in (former) Yugoslavia and other countries.
Research
Most of Vukobratović’s research work was related with robot dynamics.He contributed to manipulators’ dynamics in adaptive and non-adaptive control for contact and non-contact tasks.
He also studied dynamic modeling and control in locomotion robots.
In 1970 Vukobratović has proposed a theoretical model to explain and control biped locomotion. The fundamental concept of his model is called the Zero Moment Point
Zero Moment Point
Zero Moment Point is a concept related with dynamics and control of legged locomotion, e.g., for humanoid robots. It specifies the point with respect to which dynamic reaction force at the contact of the foot with the ground does not produce any moment in the horizontal direction, i.e. the point...
.
Awards and honors
- In 1976 he was awarded the 7th July Award, the highest award of Serbia, for his outstanding achievements in robotics.
- In 1979 he and his coauthor D. Stokic received the October Prize of Belgrade for their research monograph: Dynamic Control of Manipulators.
- In 1982 he was awarded the AVNOJ Award, the highest Yugoslav award, for his highest achievements in Robotics and Cybernetics.
- In 1994 he received the Saint Sava Medal of First Order, the highest award of Serbian church, for his world pioneering result in rehabilitation robotics.
- In 1994 he was elected as a member of Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsSerbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsThe Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the most prominent academic institution in Serbia today...
in the Department of Technical Sciences. - Diplomas holder of honored professor at Harbin Institute of TechnologyHarbin Institute of TechnologyThe Harbin Institute of Technology , or HIT, is colloquially known as Hagongda . It is a research university in the city of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China....
and Far Eastern Technical University at VladivostokVladivostokThe city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
(Russia). - In 1996 he was awarded the Joseph F. Engelberger award from the Robotic Industries Association in the USA, for his pioneering worldwide recognized results in applied research and education in robotics.
- He is Doctor Honoris Causa of Moskow State M.V. Lomonosov University .
- He is Doctor Honoris Causa of University of Novi SadUniversity of Novi SadThe University of Novi Sad is a university located in Novi Sad, the capital of Serbian province of Vojvodina and the second largest city in Serbia....
(Serbia). - He is Doctor Honoris Causa of Technical University at TimişoaraTimisoaraTimișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
(Romania).