Chirarattananon’s research leverages the power of nature to create tiny robotic systems, micro aerial vehicles and hybrid locomotion
Associate Professor Pakpong Chirarattananon is one of the newest faculty members at the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (MIE). He brings wide-ranging expertise in bio-inspired robotics, developed through his PhD at Harvard University. His subsequent faculty appointment at City University of Hong Kong had him leading a research group working across aerial, legged and hybrid robotic systems.
Chirarattananon draws inspiration from nature to design robots that fly, hop, crawl or seamlessly combine multiple modes of locomotion. He embraces the challenge of tackling problems of dynamics, power, controland decision-making within tight constraints. Ultimately, his research looks to harness intelligent design and get more out of less — creating smaller, simpler systems that are surprisingly capable.
Kendra Hunter sat down with Chirarattananon to learn more about his research, teaching and being part of the community.
How did your area of research with small robots develop?
It started during my PhD, working on insect-scale robots. What drew me in, and still does, is the challenge of working within such minute areas. When you have almost no mass, power or space to spare, you can’t brute-force your way to a solution. You have to understand the system deeply, and often the best answer is to reduce complexity rather than add it. Simplicity wins when designing bio-inspired robots.
Did your undergraduate studies inspire you to follow this research path?
Nature has always fascinated and inspired me. This led me to study natural sciences at the University of Cambridge with a focus on physics. Later, I did an MPhil in computational biology. My path to engineering was more on the fundamental side rather than traditional, and really shaped how I approach problems and research solutions.
When I design a robot model, I capture the underlying physics first, because that gives you a clear picture of the whole system. You can’t really improve one part in isolation. The mechanism, the dynamics, and the algorithm are all interconnected, and the end performance emerges from all of them together.
What brought you to MIE?
U of T is an internationally recognized university attracting people worldwide. I saw an opportunity to connect my fundamental research to real-world impact with faculty who have been welcoming and collaborative. The research and teaching opportunities are endless, and MIE truly supports an environment to work across disciplines and borders.
What MIE undergraduate courses are you teaching?
My main course is MIE301: Kinematics and Dynamics of Machines, a core course for mechanical engineering students covering the fundamentals of mechanisms. Interestingly, I never took this course when I was a student, but I have been using and practicing these concepts throughout my research career. This gives me a different perspective and approach to teaching: I can speak to how the influence of classical approaches show up in modern robotic systems, and also demonstrate how traditional curriculum is supporting the advances with where the field is going.
If the MIE community could learn one thing about you it would be…
The thing I most want students and colleagues to know is that I care a lot about the craft of research — not just publishing eye-catching results, but building things that actually work in the real world and understanding why they work.
Being part of MIE means I’m surrounded by expertise across so many areas. I’m here to contribute, but also genuinely to learn. My door is always open, so don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m just as curious about what you’reworking on as I hope you are about us!
How have you enjoyed Toronto so far?
I’m a very active, outdoor person and an avid trail runner. I’ve been exploring the trails and green spaces around the GTA and grateful for how much nature is accessible from the city. On the cycling side, I commute by bike and look to incorporate longer rides.