
Tom Verstraten, Belgium
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
WG2-member
I am a postdoctoral researcher at the VUB. My main research interests are energy-efficient actuation concepts, more specifically compliant actuators and redundant actuators. Currently, I am working on actuation concepts which emulate the human muscle.
So far I have been working on the SPEAR project (series-parallel elastic actuation – ERC grant) and on two FWO-funded personal projects about energy-efficient actuation and elastic-redundant actuation. From my experience, I have provided advice for several of our department’s projects on active prostheses and exoskeletons (Cyberlegs, Mirad, BioMot, Spexor etc.). Furthermore, I have worked on the Marco II hopping robot project at TU Darmstadt (with Philipp Beckerle, André Seyfarth).
Main personal achievements include two FWO fellowships (doctoral and post-doctoral) and a Fulbright award for visiting scholars.
Verstraten T., Furnémont R., Lopez-Garcia P., Rodriguez-Cianca D., Cao H-L., Vanderborght B. and Lefeber D. (2018). Modeling and design of an energy-efficient dual-motor actuation unit with a planetary differential and holding brakes. Mechatronics, 49, 134 – 148.
Verstraten T., Geeroms J., Mathijssen G., Convens B., Vanderborght B. and Lefeber D. (2017). Optimizing the Power and Energy Consumption of Powered Prosthetic Ankles with Series and Parallel Elasticity. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 116, 419 – 432.
Verstraten, T., Beckerle, P., Furnémont, R., Mathijssen, G., Vanderborght, B. and Lefeber, D. (2016). Series and Parallel Elastic Actuation: Impact of Natural Dynamics on Power and Energy Consumption. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 102, 232-246
Verstraten, T., Furnémont, R., Mathijssen, G., Vanderborght, B. and Lefeber, D. (2016). Energy Consumption of Geared DC Motors in Dynamic Applications: Comparing Modeling Approaches. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 1, 524-530.
Verstraten, T., Mathijssen, G., Furnémont, R., Vanderborght, B. and Lefeber, D. (2015). Modeling and dimensioning of geared DC motors for energy efficiency: Comparison between theory and experiments. Mechatronics, 30, 198-213.
