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Calogero Oddo is Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA), Pisa, and head of the Neuro-Robotic Touch Laboratory at The BioRobotics Institute, coordinating a team of about 20 persons. He is currently supervisor or tutor of 4 PhD students in BioRobotics and of 7 MSc theses in Biomedical Engineering.

Calogero Oddo serves as Vice-coordinator of the PhD in BioRobotics of SSSA, one of the largest doctoral schools worldwide in robotics and bioengineering, with 100+ PhD students enrolled. He also serves as Coordinator of the Innovation and Demonstration Node of The BioRobotics Institute of SSSA within the ARTES 4.0 Industry 4.0 Competence Center.

He holds courses on Neuromorphic Engineering for the joint MSc degree in Bionics Engineering with the University of Pisa, on Neuromorphic Computing for Honors College students of SSSA, and on Graphical Programming for PhD students in BioRobotics of SSSA. He gave invited lectures in leading Institutions such as EPFL, Lund University, Institut de la Vision in Paris, SISSA in Trieste, Politecnico di Torino, and in international workshops in Europe, USA, India and Japan.

He obtained, all with honors: PhD in Innovative technologies from SSSA (graduated in May 2011, admitted in Jan 2008, 1st in the ranking for the BioRobotics curriculum), MSc and BSc in Electronic Eng from University of Pisa (in July 2007 and July 2005, respectively, 1st student graduating), 2nd and 1st level degrees in Industrial and Information Eng from SSSA (admitted in Sept 2002 to a selective honors program with 10 positions and 334 applicants, confirmed in 2005 ranking 1st). In 2010 he spent a visiting period at the Dept of Physiology of University of Gothenburg. In 2005 he attended courses, with maximum marks, on eBusiness in the digital age at the London School of Economics.

His research interests are in tactile sensing and artificial skins. He authored 60 Scopus journal publications (42 without PhD supervisor). He is co-inventor of 9 patents, 2 of which are being transferred to the Industry 4.0 Competence Center ARTES4.0 within the IMEROS++ Proof of Concept project.

He has a growing portfolio of successful research grants and he was PI or co-PI within 2 EU-FP7 projects (Nanobiotouch; NEBIAS), 3 EU-H2020 project (Endoo; NeuHeart; EINST4INE), 2 bilateral projects (Italy-Sweden; Italy-Serbia), 6 National projects (HandBot PRIN; INAIL MOTU, MOTU++ and SENSE-RISC; NEMESIS; PARLOMA), 5 Regional Projects (TUNE-BEAM; CENTAURO; EOLO; IMEROS; FID-U4E), 4 industrial projects and 2 grants (Guaana and TIM Working Capital), with a main focus on bioengineering and robotic technologies for medical, rehabilitation and collaborative robotics, and for safety in the workplace.

So far, 37 years old, he had scientific responsibility on about 3 M€ research funds, and he was involved in research projects accounting a total budget of 10+ M€.

He serves as associate editor of Journal of Sensors, guest editor of 2 research topics in Frontiers journals and 1 special issue in IEEE Sensors Journal, and member of the editorial board of Frontiers journals.

He regularly serves as co-organizer for international congresses: general co-chair of IEEE MetroInd4.0&Iot 2020-21; finance chair of ICNR, WeRob and Inbots 2018, and of IEEE EMBS NER 2021. He served as associate editor of IEEE BioRob (2016-18) and IROS (2018-2020) conferences, and as program committee member of NEUROTECHNIX 2013 and of TAROS 2012-2013.

He regularly serves as a reviewer for international conferences, and for 30+ international scientific journals. He was appointed to serve as a reviewer for grant proposals in Poland (OPUS and PRELUDIUM), Germany (DAAD), UK-Israel (BIRAX), France (ANR), and Italy.

Since Feb 2016 up to Jan 2017 he served as Senior Advisor within the H2020 FET Flagships Interim Evaluation Panel. In 2017 and 2018 he served in the Advisory Board of the EFFECT EU project, supporting H2020-FET projects in communication activities to increase their influence and impact among society, policy makers and stakeholders.

Calogero Oddo is also paying attention to disseminating research results: his studies on bionic touch have been featured by international and national media such as BBC, Fox News, Rai 2, Rai 3, Rete 4, Scientific American, National Geographic, La Repubblica, Il Sole24Ore, ANSA, Daily Mail.

In 2006 he was awarded with the BioRobotics prize for his BSc thesis, finalist in the “Georges Giralt PhD Award” 2012, the most important European PhD award in robotics. In 2016 he was awarded by the “In onore dell'Italia che ci onora” prize at the Accademia dei Georgofili in Florence.

He is IEEE Senior Member and he served as Vice-chair of the Italian Chapter of the IEEE Sensors Council, which was awarded as IEEE Italy Section Best Chapter 2019 and Most Innovative Chapter 2020.

 

Bibliometric indicators (Scopus):

  • Journal papers: 60
  • Citations: 2328
  • H-index: 21

 

Track-record

EDUCATION

2008 – 2011      PhD in Innovative Technologies-BioRobotics, with honors, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA)

2010                  Visiting PhD Student, Dept of Physiology, Univ. of Gothenburg

2002 – 2007      MSc and BSc, with honours, in Electronic Eng, University of Pisa (UNIPI)

2002 – 2008      1st and 2nd level degrees, with honours, in Information and Industrial Eng, Honours College of SSSA (10 scholarships, 334 applicants)

2005                  Course on E-Business in the Digital Age, A grade, London School of Economics

CURRENT POSITIONS

2019 – today     Associate Prof of Bioengineering, SSSA

2015 – today     Adj Prof of Neuromorphic Engineering, Bionics Eng MSc, UNIPI and SSSA

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

2016 – 2019      Tenure-Track Assistant Prof of Bioengineering, SSSA

2015 – 2017      Adj Prof of Natural and Artificial Senses, Biomedical Eng BSc degree, UNIPI

2012 – 2016      Assistant Prof of BioEngineering (without Tenure-Track), SSSA

2011 – 2012      Post-doc in BioEngineering, SSSA

FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS

2020                  Best paper award at IEEE MetroInd4.0&IoT 2020

2016                  Comitato dei Cento award for the bionic touch study published by eLife journal

2014                  Luigi Bertelè prize received by Alice Salgarella for her MSc thesis in Biomedical Eng. on bio-hybrid tactile sensor (supervised by CM Oddo).

2012                  Finalist for Georges Giralt European PhD Award

2011                  Working Capital prize awarded by Telecom Italia

2009                  Finalist for best student paper award at the IEEE RoBio conference

2006                  BioRobotics prize awarded by Alumni Association of SSSA for BSc thesis

SUPERVISION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

2012 – today     6 postdocs ongoing (+10 completed), 4 PhD students ongoing (+12 graduated, 11 with honors), 5 research assistants ongoing (+11 completed), 7 MSc thesis ongoing (+17 graduated, 11 with honors), 1 BSc thesis ongoing (+46 graduated, 3 with honors), 17 visiting students supervised (7 within Erasmus).

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

2015 – today     Chair of Neuromorphic Eng, for MSc students, SSSA/UNIPI (6 ECTS)

2015 – today     Chair of Neuromorphic Comp/Eng, for SSSA honors college students (3 ECTS)

2015 – 2017      Chair of Natural and Artificial Senses, for BSc students, UNIPI (6 ECTS)

2014 – today     Chair of Graphical Programming, for PhD students, SSSA (2/3 ECTS)

2012 – 2015      Chair of FPGA logics, for Honours College students, SSSA (3 ECTS)

2012 – 2014      Chair of Neuromorphic Eng/Tactile Sensing, for PhD students, SSSA (2 ECTS)

ORGANISATION OF SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS

2020, 2021        General Co-chair, IEEE MetroInd4.0&IoT 2020

2018, 2021        Co-organizer and finance chair, ICNR, WeRob and INBOTS 2018, IEEE NER 2021

2016 – 2021      Associate Editor, IEEE BioRob/IROS/NER Conferences

2016                  Co-organizer, Italy-Sweden Workshop on Tactile Coding and Neuroprostheses

2013                  Program Committee, NEUROTECHNIX International Congress

2012 – 2013      Program Committee, Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems Conferences

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

2013 – today     Head of the Neuro-Robotic Touch Lab (previous Human-Machine Nexus Lab), The BioRobotics Institute, SSSA

2019 – today     Vice-coordinator of the PhD in BioRobotics of SSSA

2019 – today     Coordinator of the BRI-SSSA Innovation and Demonstration Node, ARTES 4.0 Industry 4.0 Competence Center. SSSA representative within the ARTES 4.0 Assembly

2016 – 2019      Member of the Council, Centro di Ricerca Matematica Ennio De Giorgi, Pisa

2016 – today     Member of the Steering Committee, Microneurography and Microstimulation N2Lab, Pisa

2017 – 2019      Member of the Joint Student and Teachers Board, SSSA

2015 – today     Elected member (2015-2019) of the Academic Class Council of the Applied Sciences of SSSA, representing all Assistant Profs in Engineering of the University, and member of the Council as a tenured Associate Prof since November 2019

2013 – today     Member of the Faculty Board, PhD in BioRobotics of SSSA

2013 – 2016      Member of Scientific Committee, 3 editions, 2nd level Master funded by TIM, SSSA

2012 – today     Member of the Council, The BioRobotics Institute of SSSA

COMMISSIONS OF TRUST

2017 – 2018      Member of Advisory Board, EU H2020 EFFECT project

2016 – 2017      Senior Advisor, H2020 FET Flagships Interim Evaluation Panel

2016 – today     Associate Editor, Journal of Sensors, Hindawi

2016 – today     Guest Associate Editor, 2 Special Issues on Frontiers in Neuroscience and Frontiers in Neurorobotics, Special Issue on IEEE Sensors Journal

2015 – today     Review Editor, Frontiers in Neurorobotics and Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotech.

2014-2017         Reviewer of research proposals submitted in Italy, France, Germany, Poland and Israel

2014 – today     Member of committees for awarding PhD, MSc and BSc degrees at SSSA and UNIPI, EPFL, Université Pierre et Marie Curie and Université Paris Descartes, Universities of Cagliari, L’Aquila and Rome, Università Campus Bio-Medico

2008 – today     Reviewer for 30+ intl. scientific journals, including IEEE TNNLS TRO TMECH TNSRE RAM, J Neural Eng, IJRR, Sensors & Actuators A, Sensors, Science Robotics

MEMBERSHIPS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES

2012 – today     IEEE Senior Member, IEEE EMBS/RAS/Sensors Council (past vice-chair of IEEE Sensors Council Italian Chapter), National Bioengineering Group

Research

Main research topics and selected publications

Bionic tactile sensing and touch neurophysiology

  • Oddo, Calogero Maria, Stanisa Raspopovic, Fiorenzo Artoni, Alberto Mazzoni, Giacomo Spigler, Francesco Petrini, Federica Giambattistelli, et al. “Intraneural Stimulation Elicits Discrimination of Textural Features by Artificial Fingertip in Intact and Amputee Humans.” ELife 5 (2016): e09148. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09148.
  • Genna, Clara, Calogero M. Oddo, Anders Wahlbom, Alberto Mazzoni, Silvestro Micera, and Henrik Jörntell. “Bilateral Tactile Input Patterns Decoded at Comparable Levels But Different Time Scales in Neocortical Neurons.” The Journal of Neuroscience, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.2891-17.2018.
  • Oddo, C.M., A. Mazzoni, A. Spanne, J.M.D. Enander, H. Mogensen, F. Bengtsson, D. Camboni, S. Micera, and H. Jörntell. “Artificial Spatiotemporal Touch Inputs Reveal Complementary Decoding in Neocortical Neurons.” Scientific Reports 8 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45898.
  • Genna, C., C.M. Oddo, C. Fanciullacci, C. Chisari, H. Jörntell, F. Artoni, and S. Micera. “Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Cortical Responses Induced by a Prolonged Tactile Stimulation of the Human Fingertips.” Brain Topography 30, no. 4 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-017-0569-8.
  • Klöcker, A., C.M. Oddo, D. Camboni, M. Penta, and J.-L. Thonnard. “Physical Factors Influencing Pleasant Touch during Passive Fingertip Stimulation.” PLoS ONE 9, no. 7 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0101361.

Artificial intelligence and tactile sensing

  • Rongala, U.B., A. Mazzoni, and C.M. Oddo. “Neuromorphic Artificial Touch for Categorization of Naturalistic Textures.” IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems 28, no. 4 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1109/TNNLS.2015.2472477.
  • Rongala, Udaya B., Anton Spanne, Alberto Mazzoni, Fredrik Bengtsson, Calogero M. Oddo, and Henrik Jörntell. “Intracellular Dynamics in Cuneate Nucleus Neurons Support Self-Stabilizing Learning of Generalizable Tactile Representations.” Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 12 (2018): 210. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2018.00210.
  • Pape, L., C.M. Oddo, M. Controzzi, C. Cipriani, A. Förster, M.C. Carrozza, and J. Schmidhuber. “Learning Tactile Skills through Curious Exploration.” Frontiers in Neurorobotics, no. JULY (2012). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbot.2012.00006.
  • Oddo, Calogero M., Marco Controzzi, Lucia Beccai, Christian Cipriani, and Maria Chiara Carrozza. “Roughness Encoding for Discrimiation of Surfaces in Artificial Active-Touch.” IEEE Transactions on Robotics 27, no. 3 (2011): 522–33. https://doi.org/10.1109/TRO.2011.2116930.
  • Saccomandi, P., Oddo, C.M., Zollo, L., Formica, D., Romeo, R.A., Massaroni, C., Caponero, M.A., Vitiello, N., Guglielmelli, E., Silvestri, S., Schena, E. “Feedforward Neural Network for Force Coding of an MRI-Compatible Tactile Sensor Array Based on Fiber Bragg Grating.” Journal of Sensors 2015 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/367194.

Mechanotransduction technology

  • Caliò, R., U.B. Rongala, D. Camboni, M. Milazzo, C. Stefanini, G. de Petris, and C.M. Oddo. “Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Solutions.” Sensors (Switzerland) 14, no. 3 (2014). https://doi.org/10.3390/s140304755.
  • Oddo, C M, P Valdastri, L Beccai, S Roccella, M C Carrozza, and P Dario. “Investigation on Calibration Methods for Multi-Axis, Linear and Redundant Force Sensors.” Measurement Science and Technology 18, no. 3 (March 2007): 623–31. https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-0233/18/3/011.
  • Lucarotti, C., C.M. Oddo, N. Vitiello, and M.C. Carrozza. “Synthetic and Bio-Artificial Tactile Sensing: A Review.” Sensors (Switzerland) 13, no. 2 (2013). https://doi.org/10.3390/s130201435.
  • Muhammad, H.B., C.M. Oddo, L. Beccai, C. Recchiuto, C.J. Anthony, M.J. Adams, M.C. Carrozza, D.W.L. Hukins, and M.C.L. Ward. “Development of a Bioinspired MEMS Based Capacitive Tactile Sensor for a Robotic Finger.” Sensors and Actuators A: Physical 165, no. 2 (November 2010): 221–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2010.10.025.
  • Salgarella, A.R., G. Giudetti, L. Ricotti, D. Camboni, G.L. Puleo, F. Ruini, C. Tonda-Turo, et al. “A Bio-Hybrid Mechanotransduction System Based on Ciliate Cells.” Microelectronic Engineering 144 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mee.2015.04.005.

Haptics and mechatronic platforms for touch studies

  • Sorgini, F., L. Massari, J. D’Abbraccio, E. Palermo, A. Menciassi, P.B. Petrovic, A. Mazzoni, M.C. Carrozza, F.N. Newell, and C.M. Oddo. “Neuromorphic Vibrotactile Stimulation of Fingertips for Encoding Object Stiffness in Telepresence Sensory Substitution and Augmentation Applications.” Sensors (Switzerland) 18, no. 1 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3390/s18010261.
  • Sorgini, F., R. Caliò, M.C. Carrozza, and C.M. Oddo. “Haptic-Assistive Technologies for Audition and Vision Sensory Disabilities.” Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology 13, no. 4 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2017.1385100.
  • Oddo, Calogero Maria, Lucia Beccai, Nicola Vitiello, Helena Backlund Wasling, Johan Wessberg, and Maria Chiara Carrozza. “A Mechatronic Platform for Human Touch Studies.” Mechatronics 21, no. 3 (2011): 604–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechatronics.2011.02.012.
  • D’Abbraccio, Jessica, Luca Massari, Sahana Prasanna, Laura Baldini, Francesca Sorgini, Giuseppe Airò Farulla, Andrea Bulletti, et al. “Haptic Glove and Platform with Gestural Control For Neuromorphic Tactile Sensory Feedback In Medical Telepresence †.” Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 2019. https://doi.org/10.3390/s19030641.
  • Sorgini, F., A. Mazzoni, L. Massari, R. Caliò, C. Galassi, S.L. Kukreja, E. Sinibaldi, M.C. Carrozza, and C.M. Oddo. “Encapsulation of Piezoelectric Transducers for Sensory Augmentation and Substitution with Wearable Haptic Devices.” Micromachines 8, no. 9 (2017). https://doi.org/10.3390/mi8090270.

Publications

Patents

Courses

Neuromorphic Engineering course within the joint UNIPI-SSSA MSc degree in Bionics Engineering

News

https://www.santannapisa.it/en/news/robotic-tele-palpation-gestural-control-and-tactile-feedback-published-study-biorobotics

https://www.santannapisa.it/en/news/researchers-santanna-school-biorobotics-institute-and-rome-university-campus-bio-medico-have

https://www.santannapisa.it/en/news/electronic-device-can-monitor-heart-after-transplantation-integrated-bionic-system-allows

https://www.santannapisa.it/en/news/research-institutions-and-global-partnerships-santanna-school-biorobotics-researcher

https://www.santannapisa.it/en/news/making-most-graduate-talent-pisa-pavia-consortium-between-iuss-santanna-school-and-university

https://www.santannapisa.it/en/news/amputee-feels-texture-bionic-fingertip