About Me

Yuan Gao is a Senior Software Engineer – Real-Time Controls at Apptronik, specializing in real-time control systems for next-generation robots. He brings deep expertise in control theory, motion planning, and embedded software, supported by a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and a strong publication record in robotics. Yuan combines research rigor with production engineering to build reliable, high-performance robotic systems. In his spare time, he enjoys skateboarding and playing electric guitar.

What's New?

  • I joined Apptronik as a Senior Software Engineer - Real-time Controls! (01/2026)
  • My paper Time-Varying Foot-Placement Control for Humanoid Walking on Swaying Rigid Surfaces is accepted! (05/2025)
  • I joined Brooks Automation as a control engineer! (03/2024)
  • I got my PhD! (12/2023)
  • My paper Global-Position Tracking Control for Multi-Domain Bipedal Walking with Underactuation​ is accepted! (12/2023)
  • My paper Time-Varying ALIP Model and Robust Foot-placement Control for underactuated Bipedal Robot Walking on a Swaying Ridid Surface​ is accepted! (01/2023)
  • My paper Invariant Filtering for Legged Humanoid Locomotion on a Dynamic Rigid Surface​ is accepted! (04/2022)
  • My paper (second author) Global-Position Tracking Control of 3-D Bipedal Walking via Virtual Constraint Design and Multiple Lyapunov Analysis is accepted! (02/2022)
  • I earned Udacity's Sensor Fusion NanoDegree certificate! (08/2021)
  • My paper Hybrid Invariant Extended Kalman Filtering for Bipedal Robot Walking on Dynamic Rigid Surfaces is accepted! (06/2021)
  • I earned Udacity's Deep Reinforcement Learning NanoDegree certificate! (01/2021)
  • I earned Udacity's C++ NanoDegree certificate! (11/2020)
  • My paper (second author) Provably Stabilizing Controllers for Quadrupedal Robot Walking on Dynamic Rigid Surfaces is accepted and wins the Best Student Paper Finalist at AIM 2020! (08/2020)
  • My paper Impact-Aware Online Motion Planning for Fully-Actuated Bipedal Robotic Walking is accepted! (01/2020)
  • My paper Global-Position Tracking Control for Multi-Domain Planar Bipedal Robotic Walking is accepted! (06/2019)
  • Our research on using 5G to remotely control legged robots is now reported in Boston Globe, CNET, Robotics Business Review, and NPR's wbur. (05/2019)
  • I lead a group to receive an award from Verizon and Ericsson to further our participation in MassTLC 5G Robotic Challenge (02/2019)​
  • My paper Global-Position Tracking Control of a Fully Actuated NAO Bipedal Walking Robot is accepted! (01/2019)
  • I started my Ph.D. journey. (02/2018)

Research Work During Ph.D.

My Ph.D. research focuses on state estimation, online motion planning, and nonlinear control of hybrid systems with application to legged robot locomotion.
My goal is to develop the legged robotic system to freely navigate through the dangerous, complicated environment to help people.
My expertise includes:
  • nonlinear state estimation​
  • motion planning 
  • nonlinear control​
  • deep reinforcement learning

Foot-placement control for Bipedal Robot on a Swaying Rigid Surface
​

Invariant Filtering for Legged Humanoid Locomotion on a Dynamic Rigid Surface

Provably Stabilizing Controllers for Quadrupedal Robot Walking on Dynamic Rigid Surfaces

Overview of 5G Robotic Challenge
​

differential drive robot track and play keyboard

Non-gait Strategy to Deal with the
Obstacles