TC on Model-Based Optimization for Robotics Best Paper Award 2021

Thank you all for the overwhelming response to the call for nominations for the 2021 TC Best Paper Award. We have had a few delays in the process, so thanks to all the nominees for their patience. We are now happy to announce the finalists and winners of the 2021 edition!

Winners (two winners were selected per our best paper award rules, as there was a tie):

• Fast UAV Trajectory Optimization Using Bilevel Optimization With Analytical Gradients (W Sun, G Tang, K Hauser)
• Efficient Multicontact Pattern Generation With Sequential Convex Approximations of the Centroidal Dynamics (B Ponton, M Khadiv, A Meduri, L Righetti

Finalists:

• Stabilization of Complementarity Systems via Contact-Aware Controllers (A Aydinoglu, P Sieg, VM Preciado, M Posa)
• Robot-Safe Impacts with Soft Contacts Based on Learned Deformations (N Dehio, A Kheddar)

A special thanks goes to our jury members (Christian Ott, Dongheui Lee, Scott Kuindersma, Aaron Johnson, Alessandro Saccon, Jaeheung Park), who have been doing the lion’s share of the effort in helping us arrive at a winner.

Congratulations once again to the winners!