Paul Sandin, Chief Roboticist Paul Sandin is a mechanical inventor with an unparalleled ability to look at an industry and identify tasks that would be appropriate for robotic solutions. His most successful example to date was his invention, with Joe Jones, of the Roomba vacuuming robot. Paul looks for novel, simple, robust solutions to the mechanical problems involved in robotics. In his 13 years developing intelligent mobile robots, his design work ranges from a tether attachment mechanism to lift a 400 lb folding bulldozer, to a floating head low power electric floor burnisher, to low-slip tires for use by a wet-cleaning robot. His book, "Robot Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Illustrated," contains a large collection of information about mechanical devices related to mobile robots in addition to discussions about walking, hopping, and rolling; steering techniques; manipulators and grippers; bumper layouts, and robust ways to use limit switches. Before becoming a roboticist, Paul worked in a wide variety of careers and industries giving him a nuanced understanding of the subtle factors that influence acceptance of robotic solutions by the people who interact with them.