L. Peternel

L. Peternel is a Robotics researcher at Delft University of Technology's Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, specializing in Human-Robot Interaction and Rehabilitation Robotics. With 56 research outputs including conference contributions, journal articles, and patents, Peternel leads cutting-edge work in impedance control, teleoperation, and collaborative robotics applications spanning medical rehabilitation, off-Earth habitat construction, and service robotics.

Research focuses on developing advanced control frameworks enabling natural human-robot collaboration. Key areas include impedance-based teleoperation systems, human motor control-inspired co-manipulation strategies, and biomechanics-aware robotic physiotherapy. Recent work explores quadruped navigation, supermarket service robots with LLM interfaces, and off-Earth habitat construction systems that integrate computer vision with human-robot teamwork. Publications demonstrate strong emphasis on practical implementations with real-world impact across medical, industrial, and extraterrestrial environments.

Article trends reveal consistent focus on physical human-robot interaction mechanisms, particularly impedance control methodologies and safety-critical applications. The research portfolio spans rehabilitation robotics (shoulder therapy systems), collaborative construction (off-Earth habitats), and service robotics (supermarket assistants), with increasing integration of AI and computer vision components in recent years.

• Best Paper Award at FICTA 2024 for Computer Vision- and Human-Robot Interaction-Supported Assembly
• Finalist Best Interactive Paper Award at Humanoids 2023 for robotic shoulder rehabilitation work

Peternel leads the Rhizome project developing autonomous systems for off-Earth habitat construction and collaborates extensively across disciplines including biomechanics, computer science, and aerospace engineering. Media coverage including the Dutch press feature "Een robot als collega" highlights real-world impact of this research. Supervised work includes PhD candidates in robotics, with ongoing projects focusing on patient-centered rehabilitation systems and autonomous construction robotics for space applications.