Sarah Dégallier Rochat

Prof. Dr. Sarah Dégallier Rochat is Head of the strategic thematic field 'Humane Digital Transformation' at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH). She holds a joint appointment as Professor at the School of Engineering and Computer Science and serves as co-leader of the Computer Perception and Virtual Reality Lab (cpvrLab) within the Institute for Human-Centered Engineering.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Robotics from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
• Master's in Mathematics from EPFL
• Teaching Diploma in Mathematics from Haute École Pédagogique de Lausanne
• Psychology studies at University of Lausanne

Her research focuses on human-centered technological development with emphasis on:

• Designing inclusive human-machine interfaces through participatory approaches
• Developing upskilling strategies for industrial workforce adaptation
• Examining how techno-narratives shape societal perceptions of technology
• Creating collaborative robotic systems for agile manufacturing (Cobotics)
• Exploring mixed reality interfaces for worker augmentation

Her publications demonstrate strong interdisciplinary focus on robotics and human-centered AI, with recent works exploring human augmentation in industry, ethical AI implementation, and participatory robot programming. The trajectory shows increasing emphasis on socio-technical systems and workforce empowerment.

Significant awards include:

• Industry 4.0 Shapers Award (2019)
• CHIRA Best Paper Award (2023)

She leads multiple research projects funded by Innosuisse, SNF, and EU programs, including:

• CODIMAN (Cobotics and workplace humanization)
• Agile Robotics for High-Mix Low-Volume Production
• Upskill at Work (digital literacy initiatives)
• Augmented workers with mixed reality interfaces

As founder of Auto-Mate Robotics, she develops flexible robotic cells for industrial applications. She co-leads the Computer Perception and VR Lab and serves on advisory boards including the Swiss Cobotics Competence Center and EUA Task Force on AI.