Philippe Poignet

Philippe Poignet is a Professor at the University of Montpellier, affiliated with the Institut Universitaire de Technologie (IUT) and conducting research at the LIRMM (Laboratory of Informatics, Robotics, and Microelectronics of Montpellier). He served as Director of LIRMM from July 2015 to October 2023 and co-heads the IRP with Stanford University since 2025. His work focuses on Surgical Robotics, with a particular emphasis on medical device development, control systems, and biomedical applications.

• Co-founder of startup ACUSURGICAL (retinal surgery robotics)
• Scientific collaborator with STERLAB (flexible ureteroscopy robotics)
• Co-organized Summer School on Surgical Robotics (SSSR) for 20 years

His research spans medical robotics, control theory, and biomedical imaging, with applications in needle steering, tissue interaction, and surgical precision. Recent publications highlight advances in soft tensegrity design, model predictive control, and multi-modality imaging registration.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Best Paper Award at ARK’22
• Prix de l’Innovation de l’I-Site MUSE (2020)
• Chevalier des Palmes Académiques (2019)

He supervises doctoral students in projects related to flexible robotics, bioimpression, and robotic shoulder surgery, with collaborations across Europe and industry partners like CARANX Medical and CEDRAT Technologies.