Hello! My name is Antun, and I am a mechatronics engineer with a PhD in robotics, specializing in human-robot physical interaction.

I’m currently working as a postdoc at ETH Zurich’s Sensory-Motor Systems Lab with Professors Peter Wolf and Robert Riener. In collaboration with Balgrist University Hospital, we are studying the use of rehabilitation exoskeletons for post-injury shoulder rehabilitation.

At the same time, I’m part of Hugging Face , where I have a dual role: an engineering role working on open-source robotics projects alongside the Pollen Robotics team, and a research role exploring different aspects of sustainability in robotics.

My Scientific Journey

My research has evolved from industrial robotics to human-centered assistive technology. Here is a brief look at my background:

• Postdoc in Rehabilitation Robotics (Present): ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Focusing on the assistive robotics domain, where exoskeletons help humans maintain or recover their physical abilities.
• PhD in Human-Robot Interaction: INRIA (AUCTUS team), Bordeaux, France. Under the supervision of Vincent Padois and David Daney, I developed human-centered control strategies where robots adapt in real-time to human physical abilities in shared industrial workspaces.
• M.Sc. in Mechatronics and Control Theory: Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), University of Zagreb. This included international internships at Siemens (Princeton, USA) and Bosch (Stuttgart, Germany), followed by work as a research associate at FER’s Mechatronics lab.

Research Interests & Sustainability

My research interests lie at the intersection of robotics, control theory, computational geometry and human-robot interaction. I am particularly interested in developing human-centered control strategies that allow robots to work safely and effectively alongside humans.

Recently, I’ve developed a strong interest in understanding the broader (social, environmental, sustainability, etc.) impacts of technology and particularly robotics. I am fascinated by both the potential positive and negative effects our field can have on the planet and society.

I believe that, as roboticists and engineers, we have a responsibility to consider these impacts when designing new technologies. I’m eager to explore ways we can create more sustainable robotic systems in the future. If this topic interests you, you might like this blog post: Robotics research should think more about sustainability!

Hands-on Engineering & Open Source

My favorite way of learning is by hands-on experimenting and creating educational projects that allow me to test and improve my knowledge across domains. When these projects go well, I love documenting and sharing them as open-source resources for the wider community, and occasionally making a YouTube video about them 😃.

One project I am particularly proud of is the SimpleFOClibrary, which aims to demystify Field Oriented Control for the Arduino community. The project has exceeded all my expectations, growing into an active community with 1,500+ members and 50+ contributors. 🔗 Find out more at simplefoc.com

Let’s Connect!

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions, want to collaborate, or share some of the same interests. I’d be happy to hear from you!