Bio
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
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
2019 – today Associate Prof of Bioengineering, SSSA
2015 – today Adj Prof of Neuromorphic Engineering, Bionics Eng MSc, UNIPI and SSSA
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
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).
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
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
- Academic Year 2016-17
- Academic Year 2017-18
- Academic Year 2018-19
- Academic Year 2019-20
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