Staff
Adriano
Fagiolini (PhD @ UNIPI & Centro
Piaggio, Associate Professor @ UNIPA)
He is an Associate Professor at the University of Palermo, Italy. He received an M.S. degree in Computer Science Engineering in 2004 and a Ph.D. degree in Robotics and Automation in 2009 from the University of Pisa. He has been a Visiting Researcher at the Department of Energy, IUT Longwy Universit\'e de Lorraine (France) in 2019, at the School of Physics and Engineering, University of the South Pacific (Fiji) in 2017 and 2018, and at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Riverside in 2015 and 2017. He enrolled in the Summer Student Programme at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva, in 2002, and in the International Curriculum Option of Doctoral studies in Hybrid Control for Complex, Distributed, and Heterogeneous Embedded Systems in 2007. In 2008, he led the team from the University of Pisa during the first European Space Agency's Lunar Robotics Challenge, which resulted in a second-place finish for the team. He was one of the recipients of the IEEE ICRA's Best Manipulation Paper Award in 2005.
He has been an Associate Editor of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L) since 2018, of the newly-launched Robotics Reports Journal by Mary Ann Liebert since 2023, and of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) and IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots (IROS) since 2017. He has been a member of the IFAC Technical Committee on Control and Education since 2020. He is the Delegate for International Mobility for the undergraduate course in Cybernetic Engineering at the University of Palermo.
He teaches Automatic Control, Foundations of Robotics, and Mobile & Distributed Robotics at the University of Palermo, in the Department of Engineering, since 2012. His main research interests are in soft robotics, learning methods for robotics, self-driving racecars, distributed algorithms for consensus on set-valued Boolean information, and data clustering and estimation.
He is an Associate Professor at the University of Palermo, Italy. He received an M.S. degree in Computer Science Engineering in 2004 and a Ph.D. degree in Robotics and Automation in 2009 from the University of Pisa. He has been a Visiting Researcher at the Department of Energy, IUT Longwy Universit\'e de Lorraine (France) in 2019, at the School of Physics and Engineering, University of the South Pacific (Fiji) in 2017 and 2018, and at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Riverside in 2015 and 2017. He enrolled in the Summer Student Programme at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva, in 2002, and in the International Curriculum Option of Doctoral studies in Hybrid Control for Complex, Distributed, and Heterogeneous Embedded Systems in 2007. In 2008, he led the team from the University of Pisa during the first European Space Agency's Lunar Robotics Challenge, which resulted in a second-place finish for the team. He was one of the recipients of the IEEE ICRA's Best Manipulation Paper Award in 2005.
He has been an Associate Editor of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L) since 2018, of the newly-launched Robotics Reports Journal by Mary Ann Liebert since 2023, and of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) and IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots (IROS) since 2017. He has been a member of the IFAC Technical Committee on Control and Education since 2020. He is the Delegate for International Mobility for the undergraduate course in Cybernetic Engineering at the University of Palermo.
He teaches Automatic Control, Foundations of Robotics, and Mobile & Distributed Robotics at the University of Palermo, in the Department of Engineering, since 2012. His main research interests are in soft robotics, learning methods for robotics, self-driving racecars, distributed algorithms for consensus on set-valued Boolean information, and data clustering and estimation.
Collaborators
Maja
Trumić (PhD @ UNIPA & ETF Robotics)
She was born in Bor, Serbia in 1993. She received her Dipl. Ing. at the School of Electrical Engineering (ETF), University of Belgrade in 2016. During the internship in Military Technical Institute in Belgrade she did graduation thesis, titled Autopilot design for the self-guided short-range air-to-surface missile under the supervision of prof. dr Stevica Graovac. She did the internship in Robert Bosch GmbH in Renningen, Germany in summer 2016 in the field of testing procedures for the electrical drives. The following year (2017) she got the M.Sc. degree. Her master thesis under the title Analysis of low power DC motors vibration signals using wavelet analysis was done during the internship in Robert Bosch GmbH in Buehl, Germany under the supervision of prof. dr Željko Đurović and dipl. phys. Rüdiger Ruddies. In 2016 she got CLAD certificate (Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer) from National Instruments. Currently she is enrolled in joint PhD studies in University of Palermo and University of Belgrade in the field of robotics and control, supervised by prof. dr Adriano Fagiolini and prof. dr Kosta Jovanović.
She was born in Bor, Serbia in 1993. She received her Dipl. Ing. at the School of Electrical Engineering (ETF), University of Belgrade in 2016. During the internship in Military Technical Institute in Belgrade she did graduation thesis, titled Autopilot design for the self-guided short-range air-to-surface missile under the supervision of prof. dr Stevica Graovac. She did the internship in Robert Bosch GmbH in Renningen, Germany in summer 2016 in the field of testing procedures for the electrical drives. The following year (2017) she got the M.Sc. degree. Her master thesis under the title Analysis of low power DC motors vibration signals using wavelet analysis was done during the internship in Robert Bosch GmbH in Buehl, Germany under the supervision of prof. dr Željko Đurović and dipl. phys. Rüdiger Ruddies. In 2016 she got CLAD certificate (Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer) from National Instruments. Currently she is enrolled in joint PhD studies in University of Palermo and University of Belgrade in the field of robotics and control, supervised by prof. dr Adriano Fagiolini and prof. dr Kosta Jovanović.
Izzal Azid Sheikh (PhD (cotutored) @ University of South
Pacific)
Dr. Sheikh Izzal Azid is a Lecturer in Engineering at Murdoch University. His research interests include Aerial and Underwater Robotics, Linear and Nonlinear Controls, Robust Controls, Sensor-less Controls, Unknown Disturbance/State Observers, and Autonomous Systems. Azid has also been the recipient of the IEEE Young Humanitarian Award in 2015 where he was ranked in Top 20 in the world. His Ph.D. study was in the area of Robust Controls and Aerial Robotics from the University of the South Pacific in collaboration with the University of Palermo, Italy. He attained his MSc in Engineering in Automation and Intelligent Systems. Azid is a recipient of the Erasmus+ staff exchange program and he was attached to the Technical University of Sofia and the University of Palermo. Azid has also worked as a consultant for several European Projects on Science, Technology, and Innovation in the Pacific of about 4.4 million Euros.
Dr. Sheikh Izzal Azid is a Lecturer in Engineering at Murdoch University. His research interests include Aerial and Underwater Robotics, Linear and Nonlinear Controls, Robust Controls, Sensor-less Controls, Unknown Disturbance/State Observers, and Autonomous Systems. Azid has also been the recipient of the IEEE Young Humanitarian Award in 2015 where he was ranked in Top 20 in the world. His Ph.D. study was in the area of Robust Controls and Aerial Robotics from the University of the South Pacific in collaboration with the University of Palermo, Italy. He attained his MSc in Engineering in Automation and Intelligent Systems. Azid is a recipient of the Erasmus+ staff exchange program and he was attached to the Technical University of Sofia and the University of Palermo. Azid has also worked as a consultant for several European Projects on Science, Technology, and Innovation in the Pacific of about 4.4 million Euros.
Salvatore Pedone (PhD @ UNIPA)
He received the M.S. degree in aerospace engineering, in 2018, and his PhD in Information and Communication Technology, in 2023, from the University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. His research interests focus on the development of control and estimation systems for self-driving vehicles and UAVs.
He received the M.S. degree in aerospace engineering, in 2018, and his PhD in Information and Communication Technology, in 2023, from the University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. His research interests focus on the development of control and estimation systems for self-driving vehicles and UAVs.
PhD Students
Mohammad Alhomsi (PhD Student @ UNIPA)
He received his M.S. degree in Automation and Control Engineering in 2019 from Damascus University in Syria. He began working on getting his Ph.D. from DRIM program (a Ph.D. program of national interest in Robotics and Intelligent Machines). He is now working in Robotics and Intelligent Machines for healthcare and wellness of person research themes. His interests are Robotics, AI algorithms, Data Science, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Optimization, and Control Systems.
He received his M.S. degree in Automation and Control Engineering in 2019 from Damascus University in Syria. He began working on getting his Ph.D. from DRIM program (a Ph.D. program of national interest in Robotics and Intelligent Machines). He is now working in Robotics and Intelligent Machines for healthcare and wellness of person research themes. His interests are Robotics, AI algorithms, Data Science, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Optimization, and Control Systems.
Halimi Takkiedine (PhD Student @ UNIPA, Tutor: Prof.
Antonio Chella)
In 2018, he obtained his M.Sc. degree in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Biskra in Algeria. He enrolled at the University of Genova as a Ph.D. student in the D.R.I.M program (National Doctoral School in Robotics and Intelligent Machines for Healthcare and Wellness of Persons). Currently, he is conducting his Ph.D. research at the University of Palermo as a Ph.D. student of National Interest, working on his Ph.D. project "Social Robot Assistant for Intelligent Health Care", supervised by Prof. Dr. Antonio Chella and Prof. Dr. Adriano Fagiolini. His primary research interests are Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, which include Computer Vision, Deep Learning, and Machine Learning, as well as Social Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction, Robot Control and Motion Planning, and Cloud Robotics.
In 2018, he obtained his M.Sc. degree in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Biskra in Algeria. He enrolled at the University of Genova as a Ph.D. student in the D.R.I.M program (National Doctoral School in Robotics and Intelligent Machines for Healthcare and Wellness of Persons). Currently, he is conducting his Ph.D. research at the University of Palermo as a Ph.D. student of National Interest, working on his Ph.D. project "Social Robot Assistant for Intelligent Health Care", supervised by Prof. Dr. Antonio Chella and Prof. Dr. Adriano Fagiolini. His primary research interests are Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, which include Computer Vision, Deep Learning, and Machine Learning, as well as Social Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction, Robot Control and Motion Planning, and Cloud Robotics.
Post graduate Collaborators
Giancarlo Furcieri (Master's Degree Student
@
UNIPA,
Robotics and Mechatronics)
He received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 2024 from University of Palermo, Italy; during the same year he became the first postgraduate research scholarship recipient at MIRPALab. His interests mainly focus on research and development in mechanical, electronic and robotic fields. He has recently been involved in the design and construction of a 4-legged terrestrial robot.
He received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 2024 from University of Palermo, Italy; during the same year he became the first postgraduate research scholarship recipient at MIRPALab. His interests mainly focus on research and development in mechanical, electronic and robotic fields. He has recently been involved in the design and construction of a 4-legged terrestrial robot.
Culotta
Giuseppe (Master's Degree Student
@UNIPA, Robotics and Mechatronics)
He received his Bachelor of Science in Cybernetic Engineering - Mechatronic branch - in 2023 from University of Palermo, Italy; the same year he became a Master's Degree student in Cyber-physical Systems Engineering. In 2024 he became a research scholarship recipient at MIRPALab. Student and passionate in control theory, mechanics and electronics, his focus is mostly towards R&D in robotics.
He received his Bachelor of Science in Cybernetic Engineering - Mechatronic branch - in 2023 from University of Palermo, Italy; the same year he became a Master's Degree student in Cyber-physical Systems Engineering. In 2024 he became a research scholarship recipient at MIRPALab. Student and passionate in control theory, mechanics and electronics, his focus is mostly towards R&D in robotics.
Other Former PhD Students
Hiye Krishan Mudaliar (PhD @ UNIPA & @ University of South
Pacific)
He currently works at the Faculty of Science Technology and Environment, University of the South Pacific, Fiji Islands. Hiye does research in Electrical Engineering and Electronic Engineering. Their most recent publication is "Design of a Fractional Order PI (FOPI) for the Speed Control of a High-Performance Electrical Drive with an Induction Motor".
He currently works at the Faculty of Science Technology and Environment, University of the South Pacific, Fiji Islands. Hiye does research in Electrical Engineering and Electronic Engineering. Their most recent publication is "Design of a Fractional Order PI (FOPI) for the Speed Control of a High-Performance Electrical Drive with an Induction Motor".
Federico
Massa (PhD (cotutored) @ University of Pisa, Now
Software Engineer @ Nuro, Montain View, California)
He received his PhD in Information Engineering at the University of Pisa at the Research Center "E. Piaggio". He received his Bachelor Degree in Physics in 2013 from the University of Cagliari and his Master's Degree in Physics (Fundamental Interactions) in 2016 from the University of Pisa. His research is in mobile robotics. He is working on observers of for hybris systems and has joined in the Italian Roborace Team. His research interests include applications of Machine Learning to robotics, action recognition, and model identification.
He received his PhD in Information Engineering at the University of Pisa at the Research Center "E. Piaggio". He received his Bachelor Degree in Physics in 2013 from the University of Cagliari and his Master's Degree in Physics (Fundamental Interactions) in 2016 from the University of Pisa. His research is in mobile robotics. He is working on observers of for hybris systems and has joined in the Italian Roborace Team. His research interests include applications of Machine Learning to robotics, action recognition, and model identification.
Damiano La Manna (PhD @ UNIPA, Flight Control
System Engineer @ Alten Italia Consulting and Engineering,
Piaggio
Aerospace,
Villanova d’Albenga (SA))
He received his Master’s Degree in Automation Engineering in 2012 and his PhD in Automation Engineering in 2015 from the University of Palermo. He has been Visiting Scholar at the University of California at Riverside in 2015 where he has worked on the analysis of structural properties of selected classes of Cyber–Physical Systems and on the design of optimal strategies for network attack detection. He has been one of the recepients of the IEEE Best Research Team at the Intl. Conf. on Ecological Vehicles and Reneweable Energies in 2014. His interests are in mathematical models for real–time embedded control systems, design and realization of a photovoltaic monitoring systems, measurements and experimental setup on real photovoltaic plants.
He received his Master’s Degree in Automation Engineering in 2012 and his PhD in Automation Engineering in 2015 from the University of Palermo. He has been Visiting Scholar at the University of California at Riverside in 2015 where he has worked on the analysis of structural properties of selected classes of Cyber–Physical Systems and on the design of optimal strategies for network attack detection. He has been one of the recepients of the IEEE Best Research Team at the Intl. Conf. on Ecological Vehicles and Reneweable Energies in 2014. His interests are in mathematical models for real–time embedded control systems, design and realization of a photovoltaic monitoring systems, measurements and experimental setup on real photovoltaic plants.