Jessy Grizzle

Jessy Grizzle is a Professor in the Robotics Department within the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. He holds the Elmer G. Gilbert Distinguished University Professorship and the Jerry W. and Carol L. Levin Professor of Engineering title. His research focuses on bipedal locomotion, feedback control, and nonlinear systems, with significant contributions to robotics and automotive systems. Grizzle directed the Michigan Robotics Institute from 2016 to 2022 and pioneered courses like ROB 101 (Computational Linear Algebra) and ROB 501 (Mathematics for Robotics), emphasizing applied mathematics for engineering students.

His scientific achievements include the 2002 George S. Axelby Award for outstanding IEEE Transactions paper and the 2021 Provost Teaching Innovation Prize. Grizzle’s work has advanced bipedal robot control through hybrid zero dynamics (HZD) and virtual constraints, with experiments on robots like MABEL and ATRIAS. He transitioned from active research in 2024 to focus on undergraduate teaching and supporting Michigan Robotics.

Key contributions include open-source control software (e.g., Invariant EKF), exoskeleton control for paraplegics, and robust walking algorithms. His labs developed influential frameworks for state estimation (Contact-Aided EKF) and trajectory optimization (C-FROST), with applications in autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance.