Prof Kaspar Althoefer
PhD
Professor of Robotics Engineering
Head of Centre for Advanced Robotics @ Queen Mary (ARQ)
Engineering 337, Mile End
| Feedback/ support hours: |
Online feedback/support hours: Mondays, 16:30 to 17:00, via MS Teams. (Please note that sometimes I will be away on College business; if possible, please check by email whether I am available before attending.) |
| Expertise: | Professor Althoefer's research focuses on robot autonomy, soft robotics, systems engineering, modelling of tool-environment interaction dynamics, tactile sensing and haptic perception with applications in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, rehabilitation, assistive technologies and human-robot interactions in the manufacturing environment. |
| Research Centre: | |
| Affiliations: | Senior Member of the IEEE. |
Brief Biography
Professor Kaspar Althoefer is a systems engineer, leading research on Robotics at Queen Mary University of London. After graduating with a degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Technology Aachen, Germany, and obtaining a PhD in Robot Motion Planning from Kings College London, he joined the Kings Robotics Group in 1996 as a Lecturer. Made a Senior Lecturer in 2006, he was promoted to Reader and Professor in 2009 and 2011, respectively. In April 2016, he joined Queen Mary as full Professor of Robotics Engineering.
His current research interests are in the areas of robot autonomy, soft robotics, modelling of tool-environment interaction dynamics, tactile sensing and neuro-fuzzy-based sensor signal classification with applications in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, rehabilitation, assistive technologies and human-robot interactions in the manufacturing environment.
He was awarded more than £6 Million in competitive research funding from funding bodies such as the Wellcome Trust, EPSRC, Innovate UK and the European Commission; he strongly contributed to the attainment of further grants in excess of £20 Million, especially through collaboration with colleagues at St Thomas Hospital London focusing on creating robotic solutions for the healthcare sector. Prof Althoefer was the coordinator of two EU projects (STIFF-FLOP and CONPHIRMER), and PI/Co-I on numerous further EU, EPSRC and industry-sponsored projects. He is currently the PI / Co-I of EU projects FourByThree and SQUIRREL and a project on landmine detection sensors funded by charity FABW (Find a Better Way), co-founded by Sir Bobby Charlton.
Prof Althoefer has authored/co-authored more than 350 peer-reviewed papers. The majority of his journal papers are in the top journals of the field, including top transactions and journals of the IEEE and ASME and proceedings of the leading national learned societies in the field, IMechE and IET. He is named inventor on seven patent applications.
He was the principal supervisor of 22 successful PhD students. He is currently heading a team of 10 PhD students and postdoctoral Research Assistants / Fellows.
His current research interests are in the areas of robot autonomy, soft robotics, modelling of tool-environment interaction dynamics, tactile sensing and neuro-fuzzy-based sensor signal classification with applications in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, rehabilitation, assistive technologies and human-robot interactions in the manufacturing environment.
He was awarded more than £6 Million in competitive research funding from funding bodies such as the Wellcome Trust, EPSRC, Innovate UK and the European Commission; he strongly contributed to the attainment of further grants in excess of £20 Million, especially through collaboration with colleagues at St Thomas Hospital London focusing on creating robotic solutions for the healthcare sector. Prof Althoefer was the coordinator of two EU projects (STIFF-FLOP and CONPHIRMER), and PI/Co-I on numerous further EU, EPSRC and industry-sponsored projects. He is currently the PI / Co-I of EU projects FourByThree and SQUIRREL and a project on landmine detection sensors funded by charity FABW (Find a Better Way), co-founded by Sir Bobby Charlton.
Prof Althoefer has authored/co-authored more than 350 peer-reviewed papers. The majority of his journal papers are in the top journals of the field, including top transactions and journals of the IEEE and ASME and proceedings of the leading national learned societies in the field, IMechE and IET. He is named inventor on seven patent applications.
He was the principal supervisor of 22 successful PhD students. He is currently heading a team of 10 PhD students and postdoctoral Research Assistants / Fellows.