Research Bio

Mark Mueller is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, leading the High Performance Robotics Laboratory (HiPeRLab). HiPeRLab research focuses on the intersection of dynamics, design, and control. Research is informed by first-principles analysis, and data-driven methods; furthermore they place an emphasis on experimental validation of their work. They are interested in systems ranging from small delivery robots to large-scale, passenger-carrying, eVTOL air taxis. 

Research outputs include novel vehicle designs, with unique capabilities, such as systems capable of surviving large collisions, or operating with increased efficiency. The team also works on the autonomy stack, investigating the intersection of the feedback control with perception system, and how to reason about safety and reliability. A third thrust focuses on survivability and adaptability to faults, disturbances, and other unexpected situations.  

Mark Mueller joined the Mechanical Engineering Department at Berkeley in August 2016. He received a bachelors degree from the University of Pretoria, and a masters from the ETH Zurich in 2011, both in Mechanical Engineering. He completed his PhD studies, advised by Prof. Raffaello D’Andrea, at the Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control at the ETH Zurich at the end of 2015. Before joining Berkeley, he spent some time with Verity Studios. Mark received the 2016 George Giralt PhD award for the best robotics-related PhD thesis defended during the year 2015 at a European PhD-awarding institution; the 2011 Jacob Ackeret prize from the Swiss Association of Aeronautical Sciences for his Masters Thesis; and an award for the best final year project for his bachelors thesis in 2008.

Research Expertise and Interest

robotics, UAVs, estimation, control, flight, control systems, aviation