Saverio Iacoponi

Designed and led development of a swarm of autonomous underwater robots, with the goal of enabling highly decentralised multi-robot system to operate autonomously undersea. Application in marine preservation, underwater infrastructure (pipeline and cabling) and defence. • Maintained 20 heterogeneous platforms, and lead several testing campaigns, including several successful demos and sea trials. • Led end-to-end development of software architecture, ROS2 system and Hardware Firmware, control and vision detection, odometry, acoustic communication pipeline, managing 20+ Internal Git repositories. • Created simulations based on Gazebo and custom-made simulation environment, specific for the project. • Produced a patent, several publications and conference papers as well as presented the project to 100+ high profile visits. Spearheaded establishing contacts with potential new collaborators • Led and supported a team of 6 students and engineer, while collaborating directly with the funding company and numerous professionals among faculty and company.

Developed and researched mechanical and conceptual aspects of a robotic platform for the exploration of the solar system icy moon, in the scope of NASA mission of searching for clues on extraterrestrial life. • Carried on the conceptual phase research and development, proposing solutions currently implemented in a M$+ Project. • Defined, prototyped and applied multiple experimental campaigns in the characterization of 5+ different ice gripping and locomotion effectors, including iteration of prototyping and testing and environmental testing. • Analyzed and characterized High Torque – harmonic motor characteristics, devised a predictive model for torque estimation. • Developed more than a dozen of fast-prototypes including a 20 DoF functional snake robot, with heavy application of fast prototyping methods.

Worked for a three months contract by the institute of Biorobotics, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, on a project commissioned by ENI.

Feasibility study for the Icy-moon Cryovolcanic Explorer (ICE) robotic system. My work extended to numerous topics, including: theoretical modelling of vents flow, experimental analysis of ice anchoring trough testing, fast prototyping and computation, and conceptual feasibility studies of a full platform.

Research focused on bio-inspired robotics for field applications. In particular I was interested in developing new methods of locomotion and anchoring. Research topic included in large part collaborating in the realization of a underwater robotic legged robot (SILVER),and micro-spine anchoring study. Among the results I developed the pressure rated leg mechanism, a pneumatic buoyancy engine and compact camera gimbal. Participating and planning filed testing has been a major activity during the study period.

Admitted through highly competitive selection and maintained strict standard to keep the position. The position allowed to supplement the BS+MS with additional courses and experiences: Basics of Spanish and German, Advanced Math and Physics, Bio-robotics application, Neural Network and programming.

Focus on aeronautics and aerospace structures. Main Courses: Advanced aerodynamics, CFD, Aero-elasticity, Control and Flight Mechanics, Composite materials and Mechanical design.

Main Courses: Math and Physics, Materials, Aerodynamics, Thermodynamics, Manufacturing technologies and aircraft systems.