Tom Oomen

Tom Oomen serves as a Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), where he leads the Control Systems Technology research group and is affiliated with EAISI High Tech Systems. His office is located in Pendulum 3.08, and he maintains active research collaborations with industry partners.

His research focuses on learning from data in dynamical systems to analyze and improve their behavior through active control. Key areas include data-driven modeling, control of complex and uncertain systems, and sequential design of inputs for model identification and control performance optimization. His work spans both fundamental and applied research with primary applications in advanced motion control of mechatronic systems, complemented by collaborations in thermo-mechanical systems, automotive applications, medical devices, and energy systems.

Analysis of his publication record reveals a consistent trajectory toward integrating system identification with control theory to address precision motion challenges. His research demonstrates increasing sophistication in handling flexible mechanics through overactuation, oversensing, and position-dependent control strategies, with applications particularly relevant to wafer scanners, printers, and medical imaging equipment.

• NWO Veni Award: Precision Motion: Beyond the Nanometer (2013)
• NWO Vidi Award: From Data to Complex Controlled Systems (2017)
• IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology Outstanding Paper Award (2015)
• Mechatronics Paper Prize Award (2014-2016)
• Corus Young Talent Graduation Award for M.Sc. thesis (2005)

Professor Oomen serves as Senior Editor for IEEE Control Systems Letters and IEEE CSS Co-Editor-in-Chief for IFAC Mechatronics. He holds guest professor positions at Delft University of Technology and provides consultancy through Oomen in Control for high-tech industries. His research has been supported by prestigious NWO personal grants (VENI 2013, VIDI 2017) and industry collaborations. He is an active member of the IEEE (senior member), serves on the Next-Gen board of the High-Tech Systems Center, and participates in the Eindhoven Young Academy of Engineering.

His Control Systems Technology group operates within the Mechanical Engineering department, focusing on developing key technologies for real-life applications through close industry partnerships. The research environment emphasizes bridging theoretical advances with practical implementation in precision motion systems, particularly addressing the challenge of controlling lightweight systems with flexible dynamics.