Research line
Mobile Robotics and Intelligent Systems

The research activities of the MOBILE ROBOTICS line are aimed to endow mobile robots and ubiquitous computing devices the necessary skills to aid humans in everyday life activities. These skills range from pure perceptual activities such as tracking, recognition or situation awareness, to motion skills, such as localization, mapping, autonomous navigation, path planning or exploration.
Head of line: Alberto Sanfeliu Cortés

Research areas
>> Urban service robotics
>> Social robotics
>> Robot localization and robot navigation
>> SLAM and robot exploration
>> Tracking in computer vision
>> Object recognition

Tech. transfer
Our activity finds applications in several fields through collaboration with our technological partners
Research projects
We carry out projects from national and international research programmes.
→ More about our research projects
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Urban service robotics
The group focuses on the design and development of service mobile robots for human assistance and human robot interaction. This includes research on novel hardware and software solutions to urban robotic services such as surveillance, exploration, cleaning, transportation, human tracking, human assistance and human guiding.

Social robotics
The group's work on social robotics has an emphasis in human robot interaction and collaboration, developing new techniques to predict and learn human behaviors, human-robot task collaboration, and the generation of emphatic robot behaviors using all types of sensors, computer vision techniques and cognitive systems technologies.

Robot localization and robot navigation
This research area tackles the creation of robust single and cooperative, indoor and outdoor robot localization solutions, using multiple sensor modalities such as GPS, computer vision and laser range finding, INS sensors and raw odometry. The area also seeks methods and algorithms for autonomous robot navigation, and robot formation; and the application of these methods on a variety of indoor and outdoor mobile robot platforms.

SLAM and robot exploration
We develop solutions for indoor and outdoor simultaneous localization and mapping using computer vision and three-dimensional range data using Bayesian estimation. The research includes the development of new filtering and smoothing algorithms that limit the load of maps using information theoretic measures; as well as the design and construction of novel sensors for outdoor mapping. This research area also studies methods for autonomous robotic exploration.

Tracking in computer vision
We study the development of robust algorithms for the detection and tracking of human activities in indoor and outdoor areas, with applications to service robotics, surveillance, and human-robot interaction. This includes the development of fixed/moving single camera tracking algorithms as well as detection and tracking methods over large camera sensor networks.

Object recognition
The group also performs research on object detection and object recognition in computer vision. Current research is heavily based on boosting and other machine learning methodologies that make extensive use of multiple view geometry. We also study the development of unique feature and scene descriptors, invariant to changes in illumination, cast shadows, or deformations.

These are the latest research projects of the Mobile Robotics and Intelligent Systems research line:
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LOGISMILE 2023: Last mile logistics for autonomous goods delivery
European Project
Start Date: 01/05/2023
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LOGISMILE: Last mile logistics for autonomous goods delivery
European Project
Start Date: 01/01/2022
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TERRINET: The European robotics research infrastructure network
European Project
Start Date: 01/12/2017
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SciRoc: European robotics league plus smart cities robot competitions
European Project
Start Date: 01/02/2018
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GAUSS: Galileo-EGNOS as an asset for UTM safety and security
European Project
Start Date: 01/03/2018
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ROBOCOM++: Rethinking robotics for the robot companion of the future
European Project
Start Date: 01/03/2017
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AEROARMS: AErial RObotics System integrating multiple ARMS and advanced manipulation capabilities for inspection and maintenance
European Project
Start Date: 01/06/2015
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LOGIMATIC: Tight integration of EGNSS and on-board sensors for port vehicle automation
European Project
Start Date: 01/03/2016
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ECHORD++: European Clearing House for Open Robotics Development Plus Plus
European Project
Start Date: 01/10/2013
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Cargo-ANTS: Cargo handling by Automated Next generation Transportation Systems for ports and terminals
European Project
Start Date: 01/09/2013
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RAADICAL: Actividades asistidas por robots en el cuidado diario y la vida
National Project
Start Date: 01/09/2021
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ROCOTRANSP: Robot-human collaboration for goods transportation and delivery
National Project
Start Date: 01/06/2020
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ColRobTransp: Colaboración robots-humanos para el transporte de productos en zonas urbanas
National Project
Start Date: 30/12/2016
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Robot-Int-Coop: Robot-Human Interaction, Cooperation and Learning in Urban Areas
National Project
Start Date: 01/01/2014
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PAU+: Perception and Action in Robotics Problems with Large State Spaces
National Project
Start Date: 01/01/2012
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MIPRCV: CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010 Multimodal interaction in pattern recognition and computer vision
National Project
Start Date: 01/10/2007
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C-URUS: Ayuda complementaria al proyecto europeo IST-STREP URUS
National Project
Start Date: 01/01/2008
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NAVROB: Integration of robust perception, learning, and navigation systems in mobile robotics
National Project
Start Date: 13/12/2004
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ANNA: Supervised learning of industrial scenes by means of an active vision equipped mobile robot.
National Project
Start Date: 28/12/2001
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MARCO: Active vision systems based in automatic learning for industrial applications
National Project
Start Date: 01/12/1998
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DIMECO: Diseño, mecanizado y construcción de piezas y mecanismos robóticos
CSIC Project
Start Date: 01/01/2018
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MELPC: Mejora de las estaciones de trabajo del Laboratorio de Pilas de Combustible
CSIC Project
Start Date: 01/10/2018
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OTDIRI: Apoyo a las actividades de la oficina de transferencia y divulgación del IRI
CSIC Project
Start Date: 01/05/2018
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COLAROB: Colaboración hombre-robot en tareas de manipulación, navegación y exploración
CSIC Project
Start Date: 01/04/2013
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SGR VIS: Grup consolidat de Visió Artificial i Sistemes Intel·ligents
Regional Project
Start Date: 01/01/2017
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STAFF: Desenvolupament d'un sistema de transport automàtic i flexible entre llocs de treball del centre de fabricació flexible de la UPC
Regional Project
Start Date: 01/01/1996
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SOCIAL PIA: Cooperative Social PIA model for Cybernetics Avatars (Moonshot Research and Development Program)
UPC Project
Start Date: 01/04/2023
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FENILO: Framework for 2D Estimation and Navigation using IMU, Lidar and Odometry
UPC Project
Start Date: 01/07/2020
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GEPEVE: Gestión predictiva de energía para eficiencia energética en vehículos eléctricos con control de crucero adaptativo
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 19/07/2021
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CARNET 2022-1: Autonomous Delivery Drive. Navegació avançada en zones urbanes
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 22/12/2021
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DOGS2: Development of an IMU aided AGV Guiding System
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 07/07/2021
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CARNET 2021-2: Autonomous Driving Challenge 2021 (Fase 2)
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 01/06/2021
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MODPOW: Desenvolupament de noves tècniques d’exploració en entorns oberts i tancats amb robots
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 09/03/2021
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CARNET 2021-1: Autonomous Driving Challenge 2021 (Fase 1)
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 03/03/2021
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CARNET 2020: Sensorización-Navegación plataforma robótica (Fase 2)
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 11/06/2020
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TRREX-PROMAUT: Tecnologías habilitadoras del robot de rango extendido para la factoría altamente flexible
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 01/01/2019
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TRREX-DTA: Tecnologías habilitadoras del robot de rango extendido para la factoría altamente flexible
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 01/03/2019
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CARNET 2019: Sensorización-Navegación plataforma robótica (Fase 1)
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 01/10/2019
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SMART FACTORY: Investigación en tecnologías habilitadoras de sistemas inteligentes para las fábricas del futuro
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 01/10/2015
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DITCAV: Assessoria en el desenvolupament i integració de tècniques específiques a l’àrea de la conducció autònoma de vehicles
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 20/07/2018
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ICCS: Concept for intrinsic camera calibration station
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 01/01/2017
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#RobòticaiÈtica: Organización y gestión del ciclo "Diálogos sobre robótica y ética"
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 14/09/2018
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LCAS: Object localization with LIDAR for the validation of a CMS system
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 11/01/2016
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ADC: Coordinación técnica y soporte para la competición SEAT Autonomous Driving Cup
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 01/07/2017
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VW_Vehicle-Robot: Desenvolupament/innovació sobre “vehicle-robot”.
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 01/09/2016
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AIN-IRI: Detección de obstáculos para robots aéreos por medio de técnicas ópticas
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 01/02/2010
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ICARUS: Treball de consultoria sobre temes d'investigació tecnològica referent al desenvolupament d'un sistema de suport per a la navegació d'un robot mòbil
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 16/10/2006
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UTILAR II: Consultoria tècnica projecte d'investigació i desenvolupament de nous connectors elèctrics per a lunetes tèrmiques de l'automòbil
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 09/06/2006
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UTILAR: Disseny d'un sistema automàtic per a pre-soldar terminals de lunetes tèrmiques
Technology Transfer Contract
Start Date: 10/11/2005
These are the most recent publications (2023 - 2022) of the Mobile Robotics and Intelligent Systems
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J. Laplaza, R. Romero, A. Sanfeliu and A. Garrell Zulueta. Body gesture recognition to control a social mobile robot, 2023 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2023, Stockholm, in Companion of the HRI'23, pp. 456-460.
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E. Repiso, A. Garrell Zulueta and A. Sanfeliu. Adaptive social planner to accompany people in real-life dynamic environments. International Journal of Social Robotics, 2023, to appear.
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J.E. Domínguez, N.A. Rodriguez and A. Sanfeliu. Perception-intention-action cycle as a human acceptable way for improving human-robot collaborative tasks, 2023 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2023, Stockholm, in Companion of the HRI'23, pp. 567-571.
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A.M. Puig-Pey, J.L. Zamora, B. Amante, J. Moreno, A. Garrell Zulueta, A. Grau, Y. Bolea, A. Santamaria-Navarro and A. Sanfeliu. Human acceptance in the human-robot interaction scenario for last-mile goods delivery, 2023 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Robotics and Its Social Impacts, 2023, Berlin, Germany, pp. 33-39.
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Y. Tian and J. Andrade-Cetto. Egomotion from event-based SNN optical flow, 2023 ACM International Conference on Neuromorphic Systems, 2023, Santa Fe, NM, USA, pp. 8:1-8.
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J.L. Crowley, J. Coutaz, J. Grosinger, J. Vazquez, C. Angulo, A. Sanfeliu, L. Iocchi and A.G. Cohn. A hierarchical framework for collaborative Artificial Intelligence. IEEE Pervasive Computing, 2023, to appear.
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J.E. Domínguez, N.A. Rodriguez and A. Sanfeliu. Perception-intention-action cycle as a human acceptable way for improving human-robot collaborative tasks, 2023 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2023, Stockholm, in Companion of the HRI'23, pp. 567–571.
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J. Laplaza, A. Garrell Zulueta, F. Moreno-Noguer and A. Sanfeliu. Context and intention for 3D human motion prediction: Experimentation and user study in handover tasks, 31st IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, 2022, Napoli, Italy, pp. 630-635.
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W.O. Chamorro, J. Solà and J. Andrade-Cetto. Event-based line SLAM in real-time. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 7(3): 8146-8153, 2022.
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J.A. Aguilar, J. Andrade-Cetto and A.P. Husar. Control oriented estimation of the exchange current density in PEM fuel cells via stochastic filtering. International Journal of Energy Research, 46(15): 22516-22529, 2022.
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E. Canas, A.M. Garcia, C. Angulo and A. Garrell Zulueta. Initial test of “BabyRobot” behaviour on a teleoperated toy substitution: Improving the motor skills of toddlers, 2022 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2022, Sapporo, Japan, pp. 708-712.
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M. Peral, A. Sanfeliu and A. Garrell Zulueta. Efficient hand gesture recognition for human-robot interaction. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 7(4): 10272-10279, 2022.
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Y. Tian and J. Andrade-Cetto. Spiking neural network for event camera ego-motion estimation, 2022 nanoGe MAT-SUS Symposium on Neuromorphic Sensory-Processing-Learning Systems inspired in Computational Neuroscience, 2022, Barcelona.
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N. Ugrinovic, A. Pumarola, A. Sanfeliu and F. Moreno-Noguer. Single-view 3d body and cloth reconstruction under complex poses, 17th International Conference on Computer Vision Theory and Applications, 2022, Online.
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A. Agha-mohammadi, K. Otsu, B. Morrell, D. Fan, R. Thakker, A. Santamaria-Navarro and . et al. NeBula: Team CoSTAR’s robotic autonomy solution that won phase II of DARPA Subterranean Challenge. Journal of Field Robotics, 2(47): 1432–1506, 2022.
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Y. Tian and J. Andrade-Cetto. Event transformer FlowNet for optical flow estimation, 2022 British Machine Vision Conference, 2022, London.
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O. Castro, E. Repiso, A. Garrell Zulueta and A. Sanfeliu. Classification of humans social relations within urban areas, 5th Iberian Robotics Conference, 2022, Zaragoza, Spain, Vol 590 of Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, pp. 27-39.
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M. Saboia Da Silva, L. Clark, V. Thangavelu, J. Edlund, K. Otsu, G.J. Correa, V.S. Varadharajan, A. Santamaria-Navarro, T. Touma, A. Bouman, H. Melikyan, T. Pailevanian, S. Kim, A. Archanian, T.S. Vaquero, G. Beltrame, N. Napp, G. Pessin and A. Agha-mohammadi. ACHORD: Communication-aware multi-robot coordination with intermittent connectivity. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 7(4): 10184-10191, 2022.
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O. Gil and A. Sanfeliu. Robot navigation anticipative strategies in deep reinforcement motion planning, 5th Iberian Robotics Conference, 2022, Zaragoza, Spain, Vol 590 of Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, pp. 67-78.
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I. Geer, J. Vallvé and J. Solà. IMU preintegration for 2D SLAM problems using Lie Groups, 2022 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, 2022, Kyoto, pp. 1367-1373.
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J. Solà, J. Vallvé, J. Casals, J. Deray, M. Fourmy, D. Atchuthan, A. Corominas Murtra and J. Andrade-Cetto. WOLF: A modular estimation framework for robotics based on factor graphs. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 7(2): 4710-4717, 2022.
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C. Mastalli, W. Merkt, J. Martí, H. Ferrolho, J. Solà, N. Mansard and S. Vijayakumar. A feasibility-driven approach to control-limited DDP. Autonomous Robots, 46(8): 985–1005, 2022.
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J. Laplaza, N.A. Rodriguez, J.E. Domínguez, F. Herrero, S. Hernández, A. López, A. Sanfeliu and A. Garrell Zulueta. IVO Robot: A new social robot for Human-Robot collaboration, 2022 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2022, Sapporo, Japan, pp. 860–864.
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A.M. Puig-Pey, A. Sanfeliu, C. Leroux, P. Dario, R. Rasso, B.C. Arrue, P. Soueres, F. Dailami, V. Vasco, M. Munih, A. Ijspeert and W. Roozing. A new methodological approach to analyze human roles in human-robot interaction scenarios, 2022 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Robotics and Its Social Impacts, 2022, Long Beach (CA), pp. 1-6, IEEE, to appear.
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Mobile Robotics Laboratory
The Mobile Robotics Laboratory is an experimental area primarily devoted to hands-on research with mobile robot devices. The lab includes 3 Pioneer platforms, 2 service robots for urban robotics research based on Segway platforms, and a 4-wheel rough outdoor mobile robot, a six-legged LAURON-III walking robot, and a vast number of sensors and cameras.

Barcelona Robot Laboratory
The Barcelona Robot Lab encompasses an outdoor pedestrian area of 10.000 sq m., and is provided with 21 fixed cameras, a set of heterogeneous robots, full coverage of wifi and mica devices, and partial gps coverage. The area has moderate vegetation and intense cast shadows, making computer vision algorithms more than challenging.


Researchers
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Andrade Cetto, Juan
cetto (at) iri.upc.edu
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Bretl, Timothy Wolfe
tbretl (at) iri.upc.edu
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del Pino Bastida, Iván
idelpino (at) iri.upc.edu
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Garrell Zulueta, Anaís
agarrell (at) iri.upc.edu
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Puig-Pey Claveria, Ana Maria
apuigpey (at) iri.upc.edu
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Sanfeliu Cortés, Alberto
sanfeliu (at) iri.upc.edu
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Santamaria Navarro, Angel
asantamaria (at) iri.upc.edu
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Solà Ortega, Joan
jsola (at) iri.upc.edu
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Vallvé Navarro, Joan
jvallve (at) iri.upc.edu
PhD Students
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Dalmasso Blanch, Marc
mdalmasso (at) iri.upc.edu
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Domínguez Vidal, José Enrique
jdominguez (at) iri.upc.edu
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Falqueto, Placido
pfalqueto (at) iri.upc.edu
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Gil Viyuela, Oscar
ogil (at) iri.upc.edu
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Laplaza Galindo, Javier
jlaplaza (at) iri.upc.edu
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Magdaleno Maltas, Jordi
jmagdaleno (at) iri.upc.edu
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Martí Saumell, Josep
jmarti (at) iri.upc.edu
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Taher, Hafsa
htaher (at) iri.upc.edu
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Tian, Yi
ytian (at) iri.upc.edu
Master Students
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de Julio, Giuliano
gdejulio (at) iri.upc.edu
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Dzmanashvili, Demetre
ddzmanashvili (at) iri.upc.edu
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Giacchetti, Marco
mgiacchetti (at) iri.upc.edu
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Hriscu Acsinte-Staut, Lavinia Beatrice
lhriscu (at) iri.upc.edu
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Lachheb, Hajar
hlachheb (at) iri.upc.edu
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Lopez Zamora, Joan
jlopezz (at) iri.upc.edu
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Schnorr, Sergio Leandro
sschnorr (at) iri.upc.edu
Support Staff
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Aleman Gallegos, Jesús Enrique
jaleman (at) iri.upc.edu
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Duarte, Hugo Miguel
hduarte (at) iri.upc.edu
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Herrero Cotarelo, Fernando
fherrero (at) iri.upc.edu
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López Gestoso, Alejandro
alopez (at) iri.upc.edu
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Salom Llabres, Antoni
asalom (at) iri.upc.edu
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