Summary
Gerardo Bledt is a Lead Locomotion Engineer with 11 years of experience bridging advanced control theory and real-world robotic systems, currently driving legged-robot development at Apptronik. He completed a rigorous research trajectory at MIT—spanning a PhD, dual master's degrees, and postdoctoral work—where he developed predictive control algorithms for the Cheetah 3 and Mini Cheetah platforms. His background includes adaptive control for flapping-wing MAVs, AR sensor fusion, and high-speed UAV trajectory optimization, reflecting a rare mix of hardware design, control, and perception. Passionate about applying AI and ML to autonomy, he is pursuing a PhD in AI/ML to translate academic advances into defense, space, medical, and commercial robotic products. A practical tinkerer as well as a theorist, he has hands-on experience designing robot parts, gantries, and HMI systems, which helps him move ideas from simulation to robust physical systems.
11 years of coding experience
8 years of employment as a software developer
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Robotics, Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Robotics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Mechanical Engineering / Computer Science minor, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Mechanical Engineering / Computer Science minor at Virginia Tech
High School, High School at Madison High School
English, Spanish, French