Michele Pierallini, Ph.D.

Michele Pierallini

Postdoc Researcher in Robotics @Center E. Piaggio
(he/him)

I work on planning and control for soft robots 🎣 🪱🦿 and I am a boxer 🥊.

I am not sure what is next in my life, feel free to reach me out! 📧 .

News

  • 📌 May 2025
    Publication Image Visiting Period Univerity of Twente - RaM
    (May-September 2025)
    MSCA-RISE NeutraWeed (101182891)
    Tutors: Prof. Chiara Gabellieri Prof. Franco Angelini

  • 📌 May 2025
    Winner of SoE@UNIPI2025 two year post-doc postion @UNIPI.
  • 📌 March 2025
    Finalists euRobotics George Giralt Ph.D. Award 2025 edition. I presented my thesis at ERF, Stuttgart.

Research 💻🔏

• I work on planning and control for soft robots combining model-based and learning-based approaches.

• My goal is to leverage the robot's model to generate explosive motions, increase robustness, and improve performance through learning, while ensuring theoretical guarantees.

Modeling Soft Robots & Design

Modeling has no golden rule, control-oriented models are a fine.
Multimodal robots' design.

Optimal Control

Generate dynamic and energy-efficient motion leveraging the elastic body.

Learning Control

Compensate for the reality gap, improve performance, and robustness.

Fishing for Data

Throwing sensors camera for data collection in natural environments.

Selected Publications 📄

Publication Image

Pierallini, M., Muttathil Gopanunni, R. K., Angelini, F., Bicchi, A., & Garabini, M. “Fishing for Data: Optimal Planning and Iterative Learning Control For Throwing Sensors With A Flexible Robot." in IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology.
[Code Exp] [Code ROS2] [Paper]

Publication Image

Pierallini, M., Angelini, F., Mengacci, R., Palleschi, A., Bicchi, A., & Garabini, M. (2023) Iterative learning control for compliant underactuated arms. in IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems
[Code] [Paper]

Publication Image

Chhatoi, S. P., Pierallini, M., Angelini, F., Mastalli, C., & Garabini, M. (2023) Optimal control for articulated soft robots. in IEEE Transactions on Robotics.
[Code Fixed-Based] [Code Floating-Based] [Paper]

Publication Image

Scaldaferri, A., Tolomei, S., Iotti, F., Gambino, P., Pierallini, M., Angelini, F., & Garabini, M. (2025) Otto - Design and Control of an 8-DoF SEA-driven Quadrupedal Robot. in IEEE Open Journal of the Industrial Electronics Society.
[Code] [Design] [Paper]

Publication Image

Di Lorenzo, G., Pierallini, M., Angelini, F., \( ...\) & Garabini, M. Unveiling coastal habitats: A robotic perspective on the Mediterranean dune monitoring. [Paper]
Di Lorenzo, G., Pierallini, M., Angelini, F., \( ...\) & Garabini, M. (2025) Robotic monitoring of European habitats: a labeled dataset for plant detection in Annex I habitats of Italy [Paper]

Lookout Robotics

Look Out Robotics
Linkedin Post

Mission 🗓️

Impact industrial monitoring and inspection through end-to-end robotic solutions.
We are committed to providing solutions that minimize human risk, reduce costs, and increase sustainability.

Vision 📈

A future where robots handle dangerous and tedious tasks, freeing humans to focus on higher-value work.
By bridging natural and artificial intelligence, we aim to create safer, smarter, and more sustainable environments, driving efficiency and reliability across industries.

Background 🌱

An expert team of robotic and automation engineering from @UNIPI.
In the EU H2020 project Natural Intelligence (NI) 101016970, we develop frameworks performing autonomous missions for data collection in natural enviroments by controlling floating base robots.

Framework Image

Teaching 🧑‍🦰

I believe that teaching is a vocation, like becoming a priest, and I, unfortunately, did not feel it 🤷🏻‍♂️.
I love working in a team of people, growing, learning, making mistakes, trying, retrying, \(\cdots\) (re)\(^n-\)trying something new. I cannot see myselft speaking in front of a class of students and doing that for a living.

Courses 📚

  • 2024 Ph.D. Course: Learning Control Theory & Applications − An Alternative Approach to Exploit Data while Providing Formal Certificates Iterative. 20h lecture, University of Pisa. Co-Teaching: Prof. Manolo Garabini and Prof. Franco Angelini, ~20 Ph.D.s Students.
  • 2022 Master Degrees Mechanical Engineering: "Sostegno Didattica" Automatic Control. 20h lecture, University of Pisa. Supervisor: Prof. Antonio Bicchi, ~50 Students.
  • 2021 Master Degrees Mechanical Engineering: "Sostegno Didattica" Automatic Control. 20h lecture, University of Pisa. Supervisor: Prof. Antonio Bicchi, ~50 Students.
  • 2021 High School Students & Industry 4.0 workers: ITS Course. 20h lecture, University of Pisa, ~70 Students.

Collaboration 🌐

Here goes some of people I enjoed the most work with:

  • Saroj Prasad Chhatoi, Ph.D. student @LAAS-CNRS.
  • Giuseppe Alfonso, Engenieer @Leonarardo Labs.
  • Andrea Timperi, Engenieer @ANYbotics.
  • Prof. Carlos Mastalli , Assistant Prof. @Heriot-Watt UNI.
  • Prof. Cosimo Della Santina, Assistant Prof. 3CoR Mechanical Engenieer Department @TU Delft.
  • Prof. Martin Magnusson, Senior Lecturer Computer Science Department @Orebro UNI.

Supervision 🧩

I list here some of the master students that I tutored during their thesis/project:

  • Daniele Caradonna. Now he is a Ph.D. student @santannapisa.
  • Giulia Pagnanelli. Now she is a Ph.D. student @DII UNIPI.
  • Pietro Gori. Now he is a Ph.D. student @DII UNIPI.
  • Vincenzo De Giacomo. Now he works in a start-up @Ganiga.
  • Francesco Cannoni. Now he is a Ph.D. student @DII UNIPI.
  • Giorgio Simonini. Now he is a Ph.D. student @DII UNIPI.
  • Yuri De Santis. Now he is a Ph.D. student @DII UNIPI.

Curriculum Vitae 📖

Please refer to my CV(s) for a more exaustive description of my expertiese:

Biography 🎢

1994
2017
Bachelor Graduation: Biomedical Engenieer, @UNIPI 🇮🇹
↓
2018
Intership: @Orebro Universistet 🇸🇪, ILIAD Project 🇪🇺.
↓
2020
↓
Master Graduation: Robotics and Automation Engenieer, @UNIPI 🇮🇹
2023
↓
Visinting Ph.D. @TU Delft 🇳🇱, Natural Intelligence Project 🇪🇺
2024
↓
Ph.D. Robotics, @UNIPI. 🇮🇹
Now
PostDoc Reseacher, @UNIPI 🇮🇹
Visinting PostDoc @UTwente 🇳🇱,Neutraweed Project 🇪🇺

Get In Touch 📬

Feel free to rich out for any working/research opportuinity!

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