Hello! My name is Antun and I am a roboticist with a PhD in human-robot interaction.

My scientific journey started with the master’s degree in the field of mechatronics and control theory from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), Universty of Zagreb. During my studies, I spent time abroad as an intern at the research centers of Siemens (Princeton, USA) and Bosch (Stuttgart, Germany). After completing my master’s, I worked as a research associate at the Mechatronics lab at FER with professors Jadranko Matusko and Sandor Iles.

I’ve pursued my PhD thesis within the AUCTUS team at INRIA in Bordeaux, France, under the supervision of Vincent Padois and David Daney. My research focused on understanding and quantifying physical capabilities of both humans and robots during their physical interaction, as well as developing human-centered control strategies where robots adapt their behavior in real-time to human physical abilities while fully utilizing their own capabilities.

So far, my work primarily targeted industrial applications where humans and robots share workspaces and collaborate on tasks. However, the developed methods are also applicable in the context of the assistive and rehabilitation robotics, where the robots help humans maintain or recover their physical abilities. I would love to explore and contribute to these fields in the future.

Recently, I’m shifting my interests towards understanding the broader impacts of technology (and particularly robotics) on our environment. I am fascinated by both the potential positive and negative effects that technology can have on our planet and society. I believe that, as roboticists and engineers, we have a responsibility to consider these impacts when designing and developing new technologies. Therefore I’m eager to learn more about this topic and to explore ways in which we can create more sustainable robotic systems in the future.

On a more practical note:
My favorite way of learning is by hands-on experimenting and creating educational projects which enable me to test and improve my knowledge (embedded systems, mechanics, electronics, control theory, user interaction, …) at the same time. When they go well, I really enjoy documenting and sharing them in a form of the open-source projects, making them available to the wider community. Even making an occasional Youtube video 😃.

One of these projects that I am particularly proud of is the SimpleFOClibrary, which aims to demystify the Field oriented control for the Arduino community. The project has exceeded all my expectations both in terms of community interest (1500+ members) and involvement (50+ contributors). Find out more

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or share some of the same interests. I’d be happy to hear from you!