Personal information

Cognitive Robotics, Autonomous and Intelligent Systems, Learning and Adaptation, Human-robot Interaction & Collaboration, multi-robot systems, motion planning, Medical robotics, Medical devices, Antropomorphic Robotic Systems, Autonomous Navigation

Biography

Estela Bicho (DEng, MSc, PhD, Habil), is a Full Professor of the Department of Industrial Electronics, School of Engineering (EEUM), at the University of Minho (UMinho), integrated member of the Algoritmi Research Centre, where she coordinates the Control, Automation and Robotics Group (Research line Industrial Electronics) and leads the MAR Lab - Mobile and Anthropomorphic Robotics Lab.
She was Associate Director of the Research Center Algoritmi (2013-2015), and vice-president of EEUM in charge of interaction with society (2019-2022).
She obtained her PhD degree in Robotics, Automation and Control in 1999 from the University of Minho, Portugal. In 1995-99 she was a member of the 'Equipe de Dynamique', at the 'Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences Cognitives' at CNRS in Marseille, France. She has been PI, or Co-PI, in several national and international projects (FP5, FP6, FP7, H2020-PT, FCT) in the area of ICT / Robotics and Health care.
Her research focuses on uni- and multi-robot systems, human-robot interaction & collaboration, machine learning, uni- and bimanual robotic manipulation, autonomous navigation, intelligent vehicles aware of their occupants, medical robotics and medical devices for the study and diagnosis of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and neuro-rehabilitation.
She is co-author of more than 100 indexed (e.g. ISI, Scopus) publications in international high-quality peer-reviewed journals (e.g. Mechanism and Machine Theory, International Journal of Robotics Systems, Autonomous Robots, Neural Networks, Robotics and Autonomous Systems) and conferences (e.g. IROS, ICRA). She has been a reviewer/evaluator in service of the European Commission and has been a reviewer in several journals on robotics. She supervised 12 PhD theses and co-supervised 2. She has supervised more than 35 MSc dissertations. She has received several awards and distinctions, including: her PhD work received the 1999 Portuguese IBM Honour Award; the results of the robotics work on Human-Robot Joint action - with connections to neurosciences, developed by the UMinho team in the scope of the European project JAST- , were considered one of the success stories of robotics research in Europe ("Results that Lead the Way", ICT success stories "JAST- Robots get the power of prediction"); the video "The Power of Prediction: Robots that Read Intentions", Bicho et al, which summarised the work done by the UMinho team within the European project JAST was nominated for the six finalists of the Jubilee video award of the 2012 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, an award that aimed to recognise works illustrating the history and/or milestones of intelligent robotics research in the last 25 years. In 2019, her PhD students, Weronika Wojtak, Flora Ferreira and Paulo Vicente, won a third prize in the elimination round of the "International Brain-Inspired Computing Competition" in Beijing, China, which brought together 200 teams from all over the world, where we presented a robot that learns sequences about what to do and when, then uses them flexibly in various contexts of human-robot interaction and collaboration; recently.
RoboHub nominated her as one of the "50 Women in Robotics you need to know about in 2021".

Activities

Employment (1)

University of Minho: Guimaraes, Norte, PT

2018-06-18 to present | Full Professor in Robotics (Department of Industrial Electronics / Centre Algoritmi)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Estela Bicho

Funding (26)

Decision Making, Learning, and Adaptation in an Intelligent Robotic Assistant with an Ergonomics Rationale

2023 to present | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

2022.13948.BD

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

Human-centred collaborative robotic systems with an ergonomic rationale for industrial applications

2023 to present | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

2022.13737.BDANA

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

I-CATER - Intelligent robotic Coworker Assistant for industrial Tasks with Ergonomics Rationale

2022-01-17 to 2025-01-16 | Contract
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

PTDC/EEI-ROB/3488/2021

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

Framework for Ergonomic Assessment in Collaborative Robotic Systems

2022 to present | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

SFRH/BD/151365/2021

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

PRODUTECH SIF - Solutions for the Industry of the Future / PRODUTECH SIF - Soluções para a Indústria do Futuro

2017-09 to 2020-08 | Contract
Agência Nacional de Inovação SA (Porto, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

T476732472-00028157

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

A novel dynamic field model supporting a continuous of bump amplitudes: analysis and applications

2017-01-01 to 2021-09-28 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

PD/128183/2016

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

From Human Motor Control to Human-like Motion in Robotics: planning, learning and controlling uni and bimanual manipulation in Anthropomorphic Robotic Systems

2017 to present | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

SFRH/BD/114923/2016

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

Learning and Inference for Collaborative Human-Robot Manipulation

2017 to present | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

SFRH/BD/124912/2016

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

FIBR3D-Hybrid processes based on additive manufacturing of thermoplastic matrix composites reinforced with long or continuous fibres / FIBR3D-Processos híbridos baseados em Fabrico Aditivo de compósitos de matriz termoplástica reforçados com fibras longas ou contínuas

2016-09 to 2020-08 | Contract
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

SAICTPAC/0036/2015

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

Self-regulation learning in neurofeedback training: effects of a human-computer framework to prime subjects with external stimulation, like mindfulness

2016-01-01 to 2021-11-03 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER: PD/BD/114033/2015
Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

NORTE 2020 - DeM- Symbiotic technology for societal efficiency gains: Deus ex Machina

2016-01-01 to 2019-06-30 | Contract
Comissao de Coordenacao e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte (Porto, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000026

GRANT_NUMBER:

NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000026

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

iFACTORY / project P24 - Smart Autonomous Mobile Units ( Autonomous Milk-Runs)

2015-07-01 to 2018-06-30 | Contract
Comissao de Coordenacao e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte (Porto, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

iFACTORY Nº 002814

GRANT_NUMBER:

iFACTORY Nº 002814

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

DEVELOPMENT OF A ROBOTIC SYSTEM TO ASSIST NEUROSURGEONS IN MINIMALLY INVASIVE STEREOTACTIC PROCEDURES

2013 to 2017 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

SFRH/BD/86499/2012

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

EU FP7 Marie Curie - Turntake - Turn-Taking in Human-Robot Interactions: a Developmental Robotics Approach

2012-10 to 2014-09 | Contract
European Commission Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development People (Brussels, BE)
GRANT_NUMBER:

PIIF-GA-2011-30115 - Proj. Nº301155

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

LEARNING TO BE A PROACTIVE AND SOCIALLY ADEQUATE ASSISTANT ROBOT

2011-08 to 2017-07 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

SFRH / BPD / 71874 / 2010

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

On learning and generalizing representations in a dynamic field architecture for human-robot interaction

2009 to 2015 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER: SFRH/BD/ 48529/2008
Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

TOWARD ROBOTS AS SOCIALLY AWARE PARTNERS IN HUMAN-ROBOT INTERACTIVE TASKS

2009 to 2013 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER: SFRH/BD/48527/2008
Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

Dynamic systems for the control of autonomous mobile robot teams in joint transportation tasks: theory, implementation and validation on the factory floor

2008 to 2014 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER: SFRH/BD/38885/2007
Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

LeMI- Learning to read the motor intention of others: towards socially intelligent robots

2007-09 to 2008-12 | Contract
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

POCI/V.5/A0119/2005

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

Reaching, Grasping and Manipulation in anthropomorphic robot systems

2006 to 2011 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

SFRH/BD/23821/2005

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

Learning through imitation: a biological approach to robotics

2006 to 2009 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER: SFR/BD/25107/2005
Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

Anthropomorphic robotic systems: control based on the processing principles of the human and other primates' motor system and potential applications in service robotics and biomedical engineering

2005-03 to 2007-12 | Contract
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

CONC-REEQ/17/2001

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

Control and Representations for Human-Robot Collaboration Tasks / Controlo e Representações para Tarefas de Colaboração Humano-Robô

2005 to 2010 | Grant
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER: SFR/BD/18149/2004
Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

EU Integrated Project (FP6) - JAST - Joint Action Science and Technology

2004-10 to 2009-05 | Contract
European Commission (Brussels, BE)
GRANT_NUMBER:

IST-2-003747-IP

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

FCT Project - CoopDyn - Synthesis of Cooperative behavior in multi-robot systems: a Nonlinear Attractor Dynamics Approach

2002-05 to 2006-05 | Contract
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Lisboa, PT)
GRANT_NUMBER:

POSI/SRI/38051/2001

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE

EU project (FP5) - ArteSImit - Artefact Structural Learning through Imitation

2001-10 to 2004-12 | Contract
European Commission (Brussels, BE)
GRANT_NUMBER:

IST-2000-29689

Source: check_circle
CIÊNCIAVITAE