Paolo Rocco

Paolo Rocco is a Full Professor in Systems and Control at the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering (DEIB) of Politecnico di Milano, Italy. He has been with the institution since 1996 and currently serves as Head of the Systems and Control research area at DEIB. Additionally, he sits on the Board of Governors of Politecnico di Milano for the triennium 2022-24 and teaches Automatic Control, Fundamentals of Robotics, and Industrial Automation courses across multiple engineering programs.

Education:

• Born in Busto Arsizio (Italy) in 1966
• 'Laurea' degree cum laude in Electronics Engineering (1991, Politecnico di Milano)
• Doctorate degree in Computer Science and Automation (1995, Politecnico di Milano)
• Visiting scholar at Georgia Tech, USA (1995)

Research Focus: Dr. Rocco's work centers on industrial robotics, physical human-robot interaction, redundant manipulators, computer vision in robotics, and control systems. His research bridges theoretical control frameworks with practical industrial applications, particularly in manufacturing automation. His extensive publication record (approximately 200 papers) demonstrates consistent contributions to robotics and control theory.

Publication Trends: Analysis of his recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a strategic shift toward collaborative robotics applications in real-world industrial settings. Key themes include robotic deburring, cable manipulation, human-robot collaborative assembly, and integration of AI with traditional control systems. His work increasingly addresses challenges in unstructured environments while maintaining strong connections to industrial implementation.

Professional Recognition:

• Senior Member of IEEE
• Former Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Robotics (2004-2008)
• Founding Senior Editor for IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
• Current Senior Editor of IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering
• Associate Editor for IFAC journal Mechatronics and International Journal of Robotics Research

Leadership and Service: Dr. Rocco has served as Chair of BSc and MSc Programs in Automation and Control Engineering (2013-2018), sits on the Board of Governors of Politecnico di Milano (2022-24), and leads the Systems and Control research area at DEIB. He serves on the Board of Directors of euRobotics and I-RIM, and is scientific responsible for technology transfer projects at MADE, the Industry 4.0 Competence Center. His co-founding of Smart Robots, a Politecnico di Milano spin-off, demonstrates his commitment to translating research into commercial applications.