2024–2025
BALLU
BALLU is a bipedal robot with a balloon body that is safe, never falls, and is interactive.
BALLU is an NSF-funded project.
Research focus
- Buoyancy-assisted biped
- Custom electronics
- Decentralized legs
Project story
Images and demonstrations
11 media items
01 / In public
A buoyant robot experienced as a kinetic installation.
Autonomous installation at the Shenzhen Biennale.
01UABB exhibition, photo credit TAL + Baiyu
Documentation
02ICRA 2025 Arts in Robotics exhibition
DocumentationICRA Arts in Robotics
Film02 / Interaction
Outreach, character, and movement with people.
01Pokémon character
DocumentationBALLU outreach video
FilmBALLU demonstration
Film03 / The platform
Hardware, electronics, and the design behind BALLU.
- Balloon body, one actuator per leg
01Custom electronics
Documentation
02CAD rendering
Fans create invisible walls for BALLU.
DocumentationUABB
The 10th Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture (UABB) ran from December 2025 to March 2026.
The UABB presentation used the fully autonomous installation, enabling a more than 3-month daily exhibition run with minimal operator intervention.
- 🏆 Academic Committee Recommendation Award, UABB 2025
Arts in Robotics (ICRA 2025) & Robot Fashion Show
Our first exhibition was at ICRA Atlanta 2025.
- 🏆 Best Presentation Award, ICRA Arts in Robotics Exhibition
Outreach
BALLU interacting with kids at an outreach event, showing the safety and stability of the balloon body.
Arts in robotics
BALLU as kinetic installation
Explore BALLU's exhibitions, performances, and public encounters as an expressive robotic artwork.
Explore the Arts pagePublications & related research
Buoyant Choreographies (ICRA 2025) →Rapid co-design of buoyancy-assisted robots (under review) →From Lab to Gallery (under review) →