Autonomous Mobile Robots: From Theory to Practice

Roland Siegwart, a distinguished Professor of Autonomous Systems at ETH Zurich since 2006, has shaped the landscape of robotics and autonomous systems through his remarkable career spanning academia, research, and entrepreneurship. After completing his studies in mechanics and mechatronics, he established himself as a leading figure in robotics research, serving as a professor at EPFL Lausanne for ten years and holding visiting positions at Stanford University and NASA Ames. His expertise in creating intelligent robots for complex environments has led to groundbreaking developments in personal and service robots, inspection devices, autonomous micro-aircraft, and walking robots. As Vice President of Research and Corporate Relations at ETH Zurich from 2010 to 2014, he initiated crucial programs like the Pioneer Fellowship and Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab. His entrepreneurial spirit has resulted in co-founding multiple successful spin-off companies, while his academic leadership has earned him membership in the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences, IEEE Fellow status, and a position as an officer of the International Federation of Robotics Research. Siegwart's influence extends to organizing major robotics conferences, including IROS 2002 and ISRR 2009, and his research continues to push the boundaries of autonomous systems technology.

Margarita Chli is a distinguished Professor in Robotic Vision who currently serves as director of the Vision for Robotics Lab at both the University of Cyprus and ETH Zurich. Her remarkable journey began at the University of Cambridge, where she earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Information and Computing Engineering from Trinity College. After completing her Ph.D. at Imperial College London in 2009, focusing on Information Theory for efficient Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM), she joined ETH Zurich's Autonomous Systems Lab, eventually becoming Lab Deputy Director. Her groundbreaking work contributed to the first vision-based autonomous flight of a small helicopter and the demonstration of collaborative robotic perception for drone swarms

Marco Hutter is an Assistant Professor of Robotic Systems at ETH Zurich, where he has been a prominent figure since 2015 and has held the Branco Weiss Fellowship since 2014. Prior to his current role, he served as deputy director and group leader in legged robotics at the Autonomous Systems Lab at ETH Zurich. Hutter obtained his doctoral degree in robotics from ETH, focusing on the design, actuation, and control of dynamic legged robotic systems. His research interests encompass the development of novel machines and actuation concepts, alongside the control, planning, and optimization algorithms necessary for locomotion and manipulation. He is actively involved in the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Digital Fabrication and plays a significant role in NCCR Robotics, coordinating various research projects, industrial collaborations, and international competitions such as the ARGOS challenge. His work targets applications for high-mobile autonomous vehicles in challenging environments, including search and rescue operations, industrial inspections, and construction tasks, making significant contributions to the field of robotics and its practical applications

Davide Scaramuzza serves as a Professor of Robotics at the University of Zurich, where he founded and directs the Robotics and Perception Group, making significant contributions to autonomous navigation and computer vision. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Robotics and Computer Vision from ETH Zurich, followed by postdoctoral research at both ETH Zurich and the University of Pennsylvania. From 2009 to 2012, he led the groundbreaking European project "SFLY," focusing on vision-based autonomous navigation of micro helicopters in GPS-denied environments. His innovative work has earned him prestigious recognitions including the Robotdalen Scientific Award and the European Young Researcher Award. As a co-author of the "Introduction to Autonomous Mobile Robots" and creator of the first open-source Omnidirectional Camera Calibration Toolbox for MATLAB, his influence extends across academia and industry, with his tools being utilized by major organizations like NASA, Bosch, and Daimler. His research primarily focuses on using cameras as primary sensors for robot navigation, mapping, exploration, and interpretation, spanning applications in both ground and flying vehicles, making him a pivotal figure in advancing autonomous robotics technology.

Martin Rufli combines academic expertise with industry experience as a Research Scientist at IBM Research Zurich. His educational journey at ETH Zurich includes a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in mechanical engineering (2006, 2008) and a Ph.D. in robotics (2012). While serving as a lecturer at ETH Zurich's Autonomous Systems Lab since February 2011, he also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship from September 2012 to August 2013. His research focuses on developing innovative algorithms for robotic navigation, specifically aimed at transitioning robots from controlled factory environments into everyday settings. Rufli's work emphasizes system-based online methods and algorithms that model robot-robot interaction, contributing to the advancement of autonomous systems that can seamlessly integrate into human environments.

Nicholas Lawrance serves as a senior researcher in robotics at ETH Zurich's Autonomous Systems Lab under Professor Roland Siegwart's leadership. His research focuses on planning and modeling with uncertainty, particularly specializing in fixed-wing aerial vehicles and underwater robotics. His expertise extends to soaring flight dynamics and autonomous navigation systems. As part of ETH Zurich's distinguished faculty, he contributes to academic instruction by co-teaching the Autonomous Mobile Robots course alongside Roland Siegwart and Margarita Chli