About me

I’m a Project Assistant at Chalmers University of Technology in the Automation group, within the division of Systems and Control of the Electrical Engineering (E2) department. I’ve also completed my MSc and PhD at Chalmers.

During my Master’s studies, I did my thesis work within the FKA Biomechatronics and Neurorehabilitation Lab. My focus was on implementing Deep Learning methods for myoelectric control, which has applications in robotic prosthetics and neuromuscular rehabilitation.

For my PhD degree, my research topic consisted of robotic manipulation of deformable objects using learning-based methods, with a focus on Reinforcement Learning. I started my graduate studies in February, 2019 in the Mechatronics group and defended my thesis in April, 2024. My position was funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, as part of the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP).

Now that I have defended my PhD, I will continue in academia to pursue my original goal: Healthcare Robotics. With my background in Biomedical Engineering and Robotics, I want to continue developing my knowledge and skills to maximize my contribution to the field I am most passionate about.

Current Project Description

I am currently involved in the AURORA project: Adaptive User-Centered Robotic Rehabilitation. The aim is to develop customisable rehabilitation equipment that optimizes patient recovery after injury, both through better data collection and eventually with active support of the physiotherapy exercises.

PhD Project Description

Modern robotic applications require handling of deformable objects. In industrial settings, a multitude of deformable objects are handled on a daily basis, ranging from linear objects such as cables and wires that have to be installed on electronic devices; to planar objects like sheets of metal which can be cut and molded; to volumetric objects made for example of foam materials which can be applied as padding for insulation purposes. Outside industrial settings, there are numerous other potential applications of deformable object manipulation, in fields ranging from agriculture to medicine. The main goal of my research project is to address such robotic manipulation problems by combining (i) data-driven modeling of robot-object interaction based on Deep Neural Networks and vision/force data, and (ii) design of control policies based on Reinforcement Learning principles.

PhD Supervisors

Main Supervisor: Yiannis Karayiannidis
Co-Supervisor: Florian T. Pokorny

Graduate Courses (during PhD studies)

Autonomous Systems (WASP)
Deep learning and GANs (WASP)
Learning Theory and Reinforcement Learning (WASP)
Scalable Data Science and Distributed Machine Learning (WASP)
Graphical Models, Bayesian Learning and Statistical Relational learning (WASP)
Artificial Intelligence and Society: Ethical, Legal, Societal and Economical Aspects of AI (WASP)
Research on the Frontier Between Engineering and Health (GU)
Machine Learning in Optimal Control (Chalmers)

Teaching Duties

[2021; 2022; 2023] Modelling and Control of Mechatronic Systems
[2020; 2021; 2022; 2023] Linear Control System Design
[2020] Model Predictive Control

Other Responsibilities (during PhD studies)

[2021/22; 2022/23] Member of the E2 PhD Student Council (Mechatronics group representative)
[2022/23] Member of the Chalmers Board of Graduate Students (Electrical Engineering department representative)

Academic Degrees

2024, PhD. Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology
2021, Lic. Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology
2018, MSc. Biomedical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology
2015, BSc. Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of Porto

Rita Laezza