Hi there
I'm Dino, a fledgling bio-inspired roboticist currently completing a Master's in Robotics, Systems and Control at ETH Zurich.
- Qualification: BSc Eng Mechanical and Mechatronics from University of Cape Town
- Technical Interests: Soft Robotics, Embodied Intelligence, and Reinforcement Learning
- Interests: Mountaineering, DIY projects and Cooking
Current Endeavours
As of May 2026, I am pursuing a Master’s in Robotics, Systems and Control at ETH Zurich. Currently, in my second semester and busy with a semester project within the Soft Robotics Lab.
Prior to this, I completed a six-month internship at the African Robotics Unit, where I designed and manufactured a 3-DOF spine for a 9-DOF legged robotic platform. This platform is being used to investigate the role of the tail in agile locomotion, drawing inspiration from the cheetah.
This internship was significant in shaping my interest in bio-inspired robotics. As a passionate outdoor enthusiast, I have long been fascinated by natural processes, and with my training as a mechatronics engineer, bio-inspired robotics feels like the natural intersection.
I am excited to see where this interest leads me during my Master's at ETH.
Skills
Coding languages and software used for various projects:
Solidworks
Matlab
Python
ROS
C
JavaScript
VHDL
Core skills developed through various projects:
Research Trajectory
-
Offline Model-Based Reinforcement Learning for a Muscloskeletal legged robot
Semester Project: Soft Robotics lab
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3-DOF Cheetah Inspired Spine
Research Internship: African Robotics Unit, University of Cape Town
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Object Detection for the Duckiebot
Bachelor's Thesis: University of Cape Town
Education
-
ETH Zurich
2025-
MSc Robotics, Systems and Control -
University of Cape Town
2020-2023
BSc Eng Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering
Grade Point Average:91.76 -
King Edward VII School
2015-2019
South African National Senior Certificate
Average: 89.63
Awards
-
2025
- Skye Foundation Scholarship
-
2023
- Albert Wessels Prize
-
2022
- Bain Merit Prize
- Klaus-Jurgen Bathe Scholarship
- Faculty Scholarship
-
2021
- Bain Merit prize
- Faculty Scholarship
- Skye Foundation Scholarship is awarded to South African students demonstrating exceptional academic merit to pursue research under leading experts; valued at CHF 28,000 for studies at ETH Zürich.
- Albert Wessels Prize is awarded to the Best Fourth Year Student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
- Bain Merit Prize is awarded to the Best Third and Second Year Student in the Department of Engineering and the Built Environment.
- Klaus-Jürgen Bathe Scholarship is awarded to students who show evidence of high intellectual power and commitment to the achievement of excellence in the field of Engineering.