Andrea Calanca

Andrea Calanca is an Associate Professor at the Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine at the University of Verona, where he has been teaching since 2017. He holds a PhD in assistive and collaborative robotics obtained at the University of Verona's Altair Robotics Laboratory under Professor Paolo Fiorini's supervision in 2014. Prior to this position, he taught robotics courses at the University of Brescia during 2016-2017.

His research focuses on robotic control systems, mechatronics, and unconventional actuation systems, with particular emphasis on applications in assistive robotics, industrial exoskeletons, collaborative robotics, rehabilitation robotics, and surgical robotics. His work addresses the development of systems that enable robots to move and react to environments in industrial settings or medical applications, including neural interfaces.

Professor Calanca leads the Altair Robotics Laboratory research group at the University of Verona, which focuses on Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Control. His research has resulted in scientific publications, patents (including one extended to the US and Asia), commercial software and firmware authorship, and collaborations with companies and associations supporting people with disabilities.

• National prize from the Italian Robotics Industry Society
• Prize funded by Elettronica Open Source

He teaches multiple courses including Physical Human-Robot Interaction, Robotics, and System and Control Theory at both bachelor's and master's levels. His research projects include SHIELD (Sustainable, Human-centric, Innovative, Efficient Logistics through Digital advancements), development of mechatronic pointing systems for percutaneous vertebroplasty operations, and design of EMG-controlled upper limb robotic orthoses for muscular weakness.