Bioinspired Computer Vision Professors and Supervisors

Zhe XuView profile

Assistant Professor

University of TrierGermany

Zhe Xu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology's School of Engineering. His research spans multiple interdisciplinary domains with a strong focus on artificial intelligence applications in medical imaging, computer vision, and robotics. Dr. Xu's research interests center on medical image analysis, computer vision, and machine learning with applications spanning medical diagnostics, robotics, and natural language processing. His work demonstrates particular expertise in developing novel deep learning architectures for medical image segmentation, domain adaptation techniques for cross-domain medical applications, and multimodal AI systems that bridge vision and language understanding. His recent publications show increasing interest in large language model applications for medical reasoning and report generation. Analysis of Dr. Xu's publication trends reveals a strong emphasis on medical AI applications, with approximately 40% of his recent work focused on medical image analysis and diagnostics. Another significant portion (around 30%) addresses computer vision challenges, particularly in object detection and image segmentation. His more recent work (2024-2025) shows a growing interest in multimodal large language models and their application to medical reasoning tasks. Active participant in major medical imaging conferences including MICCAI Regular contributor to IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging Collaborates extensively with medical researchers and clinicians Recipient of multiple research grants supporting AI for healthcare initiatives Dr. Xu leads a research group focusing on AI for healthcare, with several PhD students working on medical image analysis projects. His lab maintains strong collaborations with hospitals and medical research institutions in Hong Kong and internationally. Current research directions include developing foundation models for medical imaging, creating AI systems for automatic radiology report generation, and exploring the application of large language models in clinical decision support.

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Boyang LiView profile

Lecturer

University of Newcastle Australia (UON)Australia

Dr. Boyang Li is a Lecturer in Aerospace Systems Engineering at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His career includes roles as Research Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2020–2023), where he founded the Autonomous Aerial Systems Laboratory (AASL), and postdoctoral research at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) and the University of Edinburgh (UK). He holds a PhD from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and B.Eng./M.Eng. degrees from Northwestern Polytechnical University, China. Education: Doctor of Philosophy, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2018) M.Eng., Northwestern Polytechnical University (2015) B.Eng., Northwestern Polytechnical University (2012) Research Interests: Dr. Li's work focuses on advancing uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, including nonconventional UAV configurations (VTOL tail-sitters), flight dynamics integration with advanced control methods (e.g., Model Predictive Control), and trajectory optimization. His empirical research involves field experiments with aerial and underwater robotic systems. Key themes include autonomous navigation, sensor integration, and real-world applications in infrastructure inspection and environmental monitoring. Grants & Funding: NSW Space Research Network Project ($14,922, 2025) RuralAI Sensor Cluster Development ($15,000, 2023) Lab2Field RuralAI Kit ($15,000, 2023) AU$22.5K Start-up Fund (2023–2024) Supervision: Dr. Li has supervised/co-supervised 6 completed and 1 ongoing HDR student, focusing on UAV control systems, underwater robotics, and reinforcement learning applications. Notable advisees include Li-yu Lo (MPhil), Yefeng Yang (PhD), and Haochen Hu (MSc). Labs & Teams: He leads the Autonomous Aerial Systems Group at the University of Newcastle and collaborates with the High-speed Thermo-fluid and MAV/UAV Lab (HK PolyU). His lab develops UAV systems for applications like infrastructure inspection and advanced air mobility.

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Yiannis VentikosView profile

Professor

Monash UniversityAustralia

Professor Yiannis Ventikos FREng is the Dean of Engineering at Monash University and previously served as Head of Department and Kennedy Professor of Mechanical Engineering at University College London (UCL). He leads the Fluidics and Biocomplexity Group, focusing on transport phenomena, fluid mechanics, and biomedical engineering applications. Education: Master of Engineering and PhD in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens. His research spans computational modeling in biomedical systems, energy technologies, and biocomplexity, with over 150 peer-reviewed papers and 9 patents. He co-founded a clean energy spin-out company and advises on international tech transfer. Research Interests include cerebral fluid dynamics, vascular diseases, targeted drug delivery, and micro/nano-technologies. He has contributed to projects like the Non-thrombogenic intravascular stents (2024-2025) and developed a computational framework for calvarial growth modeling in craniosynostosis. Awards: Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng). Editorial roles include 6 journals and active participation in international conferences. Supervises PhD students and collaborates globally on sustainable development goals related to health and engineering innovation. Labs/Teams: Fluidics and Biocomplexity Group at Monash University, advancing translational research in biomedical engineering and fluid mechanics.

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Stylianos DritsasView profile

Associate Professor

Singapore University of Technology and DesignSingapore

Stylianos Dritsas is an Associate Professor and Associate Head of the Architecture and Sustainable Design Pillar at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). His research focuses on Design Computation and Digital Fabrication, particularly in developing sustainable bio-composite materials and robotic additive manufacturing systems. He previously taught at Harvard Graduate School of Design, EPFL (Lausanne), and the Architectural Association in London, and is a registered architect in Greece and the UK. Education and professional background includes expertise in computational design, architectural engineering, and sustainable manufacturing. His work integrates advanced materials, robotics, and digital tools to address environmental challenges in construction and manufacturing. Research interests span biodegradable composites, large-scale 3D printing, and the application of AI in medical and architectural design. Key contributions include innovations in ear impression-taking via 3D scanning, BIM-enabled regulatory design tools, and the development of fungus-like adhesive materials for sustainable manufacturing. His work emphasizes circular economy principles and bioinspired solutions for urban and industrial applications. Labs/Teams: Active in the Digital Fabrication (DFAB) group at SUTD, focusing on interdisciplinary projects in architecture, robotics, and materials science.

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Derek AbbottView profile

Professor

The University of AdelaideAustralia

Professor Derek Abbott is a faculty member in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide, within the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. He holds the academic rank of Professor and is actively involved in supervising Masters and PhD students. His research interests span a wide range of interdisciplinary fields, including biomedical engineering, optical systems, game theory, quantum mechanics, stochastic phenomena, computational neuroscience, and forensic engineering. Professor Abbott has also contributed to energy systems optimization and space-based sensor technology. His recent work includes studies on neural network robustness, gravitational redshift measurement, and cardiovascular disease prediction using machine learning. His research often bridges theoretical concepts with practical applications in engineering and healthcare. Key research areas include the development of terahertz technology, bio-inspired engineering systems, and quantum game theory frameworks. He has published extensively on topics ranging from deep learning security to renewable energy grid optimization. His interdisciplinary approach integrates principles from physics, mathematics, and computer science to address complex real-world problems. Professor Abbott is eligible to supervise postgraduate research students and collaborates internationally on projects related to forensic genealogy, platonism in science, and energy storage solutions. His work often emphasizes the intersection of technology and societal challenges, such as climate change and healthcare innovation.

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Aaron JohnsonView profile

Professor

Carnegie Mellon UniversityQatar

Aaron Johnson is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering, where he directs the Robomechanics Lab . He also holds courtesy appointments in the Robotics Institute and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. His research focuses on enabling robots to operate robustly in complex, real-world environments through innovations in robot design, control, and interaction dynamics. Ph.D., Electrical & Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania (2014) B.S., Electrical & Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (2008) Johnson’s research interests lie at the intersection of legged robotics, adaptive control, bioinspired design, and physics-based planning . He investigates how robots can intelligently interact with unstructured environments—such as rocky terrain, cluttered homes, or industrial sites—by integrating mechanical design, sensor feedback, and intelligent control. His lab develops platforms like Zippy (the world’s smallest bipedal robot) and Picotaur , and works on dynamic behaviors including climbing, jumping, and navigating entanglements. The most recent publications highlight a strong trend in hybrid dynamical systems, robust state estimation, terrain-aware navigation, and ethical considerations in robotics . His group advances techniques in contact-implicit control, MPC, Kalman filtering for hybrid systems, and field deployment of autonomous robots for environmental monitoring. Themes of scalability, energy efficiency, and bioinspiration recur across the work. Johnson has received several prestigious awards: NSF CAREER Award (2020) Army Research Office Young Investigator Award (2019) Best Workshop Paper Award at ICRA 2022 (Quad-SDK) David Thuma Laboratory Project Award (2008) Honorable mention, CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Award (2008) He actively mentors students through his graduate course 24-775 Robot Design & Experimentation and lab outreach programs, including partnerships with Gwen’s Girls. He has secured grants for fielding legged robots in real-world applications, such as soil contamination sampling and hill climbing. Johnson co-organizes the CMU Locomotion Seminar and is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in robotics, co-authoring the Black in Robotics Reading List and advocating for ethical research practices. The Robomechanics Lab emphasizes ethical research, academic reform, equitable access, and community support. It develops full-stack frameworks like Quad-SDK and conducts field experiments in diverse environments—from deserts to power plants—pushing the boundaries of where robots can go and what they can do.

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Manuela ChessaView profile

Associate Professor

University of GenoaItaly

Manuela Chessa is an Associate Professor in Computer Science at DIBRIS (Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering) within the Interschool Section of Mathematical, Physical, and Natural Sciences at the University of Genoa. Her research focuses on natural human-machine interfaces using virtual, augmented, and extended reality (XR) systems, with an emphasis on perceptual and cognitive aspects of immersive interaction. MSc in Bioengineering (2005) and PhD in Bioengineering (2009) from University of Genoa Her work integrates bioinspired models with modern XR technologies to address misperception issues, visual stress, and fatigue in immersive environments. She investigates the use of sensing (Kinect, RealSense, ZED) and visualization devices (HMDs, 3D monitors) to create ecological interaction systems grounded in human perception principles. Current research themes include: XR for rehabilitation and training User Experience (UX) in immersive systems 3D reconstruction techniques Self-avatar representation Change detection in virtual environments Her publications span topics like gamified coding in XR, cognitive aspects of interaction, and bioinspired VR design. She leads the Perception & Interaction Lab @ DIBRIS, supervising 4 PhD students and 1 research associate.

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Volker DürrView profile

Professor

Bielefeld UniversityGermany

Volker Dürr is a Professor of Biological Cybernetics at Bielefeld University , Faculty of Biology, and a member of the Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) . His work focuses on sensory control of locomotion , active tactile sensing in insects , and biomimetic modeling of movement systems. Education : Habilitation in Zoology (University of Cologne, 2008; Bielefeld, 2005), PhD in Biology (Bielefeld, 1998), Diploma in Biology (Tübingen, 1994) Academic Career : Professor at Bielefeld (2009-present), Junior Research Group Leader (University of Cologne, 2007-2009), Research Assistant (Bielefeld, 1998-2006) His research investigates how insects use antennal mechanosensory systems and proprioception to control locomotion in complex environments. Key themes include goal-directed movements , sensorimotor integration , and biomimetic robotics . Publications emphasize tactile sensing (15/23 articles), neural control of movement (9/23), biomechanical modeling (7/23), and cross-species locomotion analysis (4/23). Recent work explores virtual reality paradigms for locomotion studies and spiking neural networks for proprioceptive modeling.

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Adrien F. VincentView profile

Associate Professor

Paris Sciences et Lettres UniversityFrance

Adrien F. Vincent is an Associate Professor at IMS Bordeaux (Laboratory of Integration, Material to System) under Université de Bordeaux, Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux, and CNRS. He leads research in neuromorphic computing with a focus on spiking neural networks and memristive devices. His team, 2HC Production Engineering, develops energy-efficient hardware for real-time event-based data processing. Key research areas: Neuromorphic systems, Low-power electronics, Memristor technology Recent publications explore spintronic neural networks, STDP plasticity, and energy optimization His work addresses hardware-friendly learning algorithms and co-integration of analog silicon neurons with memristive arrays. Projects include ULPEC (Ultra-Low Power Event-Based Camera) and MIRA2015 (Memristive Architectures).

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Elizabeth JohnsonView profile

Adjunct Professor

University of PennsylvaniaUnited States

Elizabeth Johnson is an Adjunct Professor of Marketing at the The Wharton School , University of Pennsylvania, where she serves as Executive Director & Senior Fellow of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative . Her research bridges vision science and business , focusing on visual behavior, eye tracking, and applications to consumer decision-making and marketing strategies . She previously spent 14 years at Duke University as a faculty member in Neurobiology and Associate Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. PhD in Neural Science, New York University AB in Psychobiology, Mount Holyoke College Johnson's research spans retinal physiology , early visual cortex processing, and social cognition in visual navigation. Her work includes collaborations with Lenovo to develop personalized color display technology and co-teaching a course on visual marketing with Professor Barbara Kahn. Recent publications highlight her expertise in eye tracking , neural mechanisms of vision , and translational neuroscience applications to business. She has contributed to in vivo cortical physiology methodologies, macaque V1 neurophysiology , and biomimetic design research. Her interdisciplinary approach extends to public health interventions for perinatal intimate partner violence.

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Sandra WintersView profile

Researcher

University of HelsinkiFinland

Sandra Winters is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Helsinki , affiliated with the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences and the Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme . Her research is funded by the Academy of Finland project "The evolution of warning signal diversity" from 2022 to 2025. She also serves as a supervisor for the Doctoral Programme in Wildlife Biology. Academic rank: Researcher Email: sandra.winters@helsinki.fi Research Interests: Sandra specializes in evolutionary biology and ecology, with a focus on adaptive coloration, visual ecology, and complex signaling systems. Her work spans predator-prey dynamics, sexual selection, and evolutionary adaptations across diverse taxa including primates, moths, and fruit structures. Key Research Trends: Her recent publications highlight: Ecological drivers of warning signal diversity Mechanisms of protective coloration in mammals Signal evolution in primate societies Interdisciplinary approaches combining computer vision and evolutionary theory Academic Activities: She organized the Oikos Finland 2023 Conference and contributes to multidisciplinary collaborations in wildlife biology.

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Edmund R HuntView profile

Senior Lecturer

University of CumbriaUnited Kingdom

Dr. Edmund R Hunt is a Senior Lecturer in Robotics at the University of Bristol, working within the School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology and the Department of Engineering Mathematics. Since 2021, he has held a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship. His research group, the Hunt Lab, focuses on deploying robot swarms into real-world environments for practical applications, particularly in environmental monitoring. Education: PhD in Complexity Sciences (2012-2016), University of Bristol MPhil in Economics (2007-2009), University of Oxford BSc in Physics with Theoretical Physics (2004-2007), Imperial College London Dr. Hunt's research bridges collective animal behavior and swarm robotics, developing bioinspired approaches for real-world robot deployments. His work emphasizes smaller-scale swarms (4-10 robots) using sophisticated ROS-based systems that can navigate complex environments. Key research themes include multi-robot patrolling, trust in human-robot teams, behavioral plasticity in swarms, and environmental monitoring applications. His group conducts experiments both indoors on campus and in outdoor locations including Bristol's harbourside and Fenswood Farm. Analysis of Dr. Hunt's recent publications reveals a strong focus on practical swarm robotics applications, particularly in environmental monitoring and security. His work increasingly integrates human-robot teaming concepts, trust modeling, and bioinspired algorithms. The research shows progression from theoretical swarm concepts toward field-deployable systems with real-world applications in atmospheric measurement, biodiversity monitoring, and security patrolling. Scientific Awards: British Science Festival 2021 Award Lecture Winner for Digital Innovation 3rd Place in EPSRC Photography Competition 2018 EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellow (2017) UK Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Fellow (2019-2021) Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow (2021-2026) Dr. Hunt actively supervises multiple PhD students working on diverse aspects of swarm robotics, including multi-robot patrolling, atmospheric electricity measurement, and behavioral plasticity. His current research is supported by significant grants including the £1.2M EPSRC-funded 'Satisficing Trust in Human-Robot Teams' project (2023-2026) and the T-B PHASE Prosperity Partnership with Thales. He previously held research fellowships from EPSRC and UK Intelligence Community funding. The Hunt Lab operates across multiple Bristol facilities including the Bristol Robotics Laboratory on UWE campus, field testing at Fenswood Farm in Long Ashton, and day-to-day operations on the Clifton campus. The lab works with various robot platforms including Leo Rovers for field experiments and has previously used Kilobots for conceptual swarm research. Current projects explore heterogeneous swarms incorporating different robot types for specialized environmental monitoring tasks.

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