Francesco Mondada

Francesco Mondada is an Adjunct Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) with multiple affiliations across the university. He holds positions in the School of Engineering (STI) within the Institute of Microengineering (IEM) as part of the FMO1 group, in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC) with the FMO2 group, and serves as Academic Director of the Centre for Learning Science. His work spans robotics research, educational innovation, and interdisciplinary collaborations connecting engineering with biology, art, and education.

Dr. Mondada received his M.Sc. in micro-engineering in 1991 and his Doctoral degree in 1997, both from EPFL. During his doctoral studies, he co-founded K-Team, serving as CEO and president for approximately five years. He is one of the three principal developers of the Khepera robot, which became a standard platform in bio-inspired robotics and was adopted by over 1,000 universities and research centers worldwide. After returning to research in 2000, he participated in the EU's SWARM-BOTS project as the main developer of the s-bot robot platform, which was ranked 39th in Wired Journal's "The 50 Best Robots Ever" list in 2006.

His research focuses on the mechatronic design of miniature mobile robots, serving as an excellent example of interdisciplinary mechatronics that engages EPFL students across mechanical design, electronic design, software development, system integration, signal processing, embedded programming, and artificial intelligence. His work enables interdisciplinary research connecting mechanics, electronics, computer science, and communication with biology, psychology, design, and art. His primary research areas include swarm robotics, animal-robot interaction, biohybrid systems, and educational robotics.

Analysis of his recent publications (2022-2024) reveals a strong focus on biohybrid robotics, particularly robot-fish and robot-bee interactions, alongside significant contributions to educational robotics and computer science education. His work demonstrates a clear trajectory toward integrating robotics with biological systems and advancing pedagogical approaches for teaching computational thinking and computer science from primary through secondary education.

• EPFL Latsis University prize (2005) for contributions to bio-inspired robotics
• Crédit Suisse Award for Best Teaching (2011) from EPFL
• polysphère award (2012) from students as best teacher in the School of Engineering

Dr. Mondada has been actively involved in advising and educational initiatives, particularly through the Centre for Learning Science where he serves as Academic Director. His work on educational robotics platforms like Thymio has significantly impacted computer science education, with numerous publications on teacher training models, curriculum implementation, and computational thinking assessment. He leads the MOBOTS research group, which develops innovative mechatronic solutions for mobile and modular robots while making robot platforms more accessible for education, research, and industrial development.

As leader of the MOBOTS group, Dr. Mondada oversees research on miniature mobile robots for swarm robotics, animal-robot interaction, and educational applications. His team has developed several robotic platforms including the Thymio educational robot, which has become widely adopted in educational settings. The group's work bridges theoretical robotics research with practical applications in education and biological studies, creating a unique interdisciplinary environment that connects engineering with biology, psychology, and pedagogy.