New Strategic Objectives for Xplore Research
News
Xplore Research (XRE), the third pole of EPFL Xplore, is entering a new chapter. What began with a set of predefined projects, and we are now moving to an open platform for student-led innovation in space robotics. This article lays out where we come from, what changes starting September 2025, and how you can be part of it.
Where we come from
Between 2023 and 2025, Xplore Research launched advanced projects that pushed our team into complex robotics systems:
- Chienpanzé : a prototype of a legged robot exploring alternative locomotion.
- WALL-E : a system for recycling plastic into printable filament.
- AI Division : exploring artificial intelligence for the European Rover Challenge and beyond.
These projects proved that Xplore can innovate well beyond the competition rover.
What changes now
Starting September 2025, Xplore Research is opening its doors to student-led projects related to space robotics, the field that designs robotic systems to explore and operate in space environments.
Any EPFL Bachelor’s or Master’s student can submit an idea, form a team, and compete for access to our labs, resources, and funding.
Why this evolution?
Xplore Research started as a place for predefined projects, but it now evolves into a platform for your ideas. By empowering students to propose, design, and lead their own work, XRE becomes a space for independent thinking, interdisciplinarity, and genuine innovation in space robotics.
The proposal
Turning an idea into a working prototype follows four steps:
- Proposal : form a team and submit your idea.
- Review : Xplore evaluates the feasibility of your project.
- Prototype : design and build it with our support.
- Demonstration : present your final results.
Get involved
Your idea could be the next leap in space robotics. Download the proposal template, put together your team, and submit your project.