Topics | KAUST Research Conference on Robotics and Autonomy

Karen Sanchez

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Computer Vision machine learning AI for healthcare deep learning Medical imaging

Karen Sanchez is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the IVUL lab at KAUST, specializing in deep learning, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) for healthcare applications. Her research focuses on video understanding, domain adaptation, generative AI, and methods for preserving patient privacy.

Dynamic Explorations of a TiltWing Aircraft Transitioning from Conventional to Hovering Flight

John Hauser, Professor, University of Colorado Boulder

Mar 31, 19:00 - 19:45

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST Aircraft Maneuvering Slipstream Dynamic Pressure Distributed Electric Propulsion Nonlinear Maneuvering

For more information please visit the website

Xwing: the journey to deploying autonomous cargo aircraft

Maxime Gariel, Chief Technology Officer, Xwing

Mar 31, 19:45 - 20:30

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST autonomy automation Airspace Integration Xwing Cessna Caravan

For more information please visit the website

Dan Leonte

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Statistics

simulation-based inference neural inference methods Spatial and spatio-temporal statistics ambit fields

Dan obtained his PhD in Mathematics in 2024 from Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, UK, with a thesis titled "Simulation methods, parameter inference and forecasting for trawl processes and ambit fields". He is now a postdoctoral researcher at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), working in the XSTAT group under Prof. Raphaël Huser's supervision. Education and Early Career Dan obtained his PhD in Mathematics in 2024 from Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, UK. He joined KAUST as a postdoc in April 2025. Research interests Dan's

Scaling up reef ecosystem monitoring using underwater robots

Dr. Yogesh Girdhar, Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

May 8, 15:30 - 16:00

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

machine learning animal tracking substrate characterization

Abstract The current approach to exploring and monitoring complex underwater ecosystems, such as coral reefs, is to conduct surveys using diver-held or static cameras, or deploying sensor buoys. These approaches often fail to capture the full variation and complexity of interactions between different reef organisms and their habitat. The CUREE AUV platform provides a unique set of capabilities in the form of robot behaviors and perception algorithms to enable scientists to explore different aspects of an ecosystem. Examples of these capabilities include low-altitude visual surveys, soundscape

Marine Autonomy: Research and Applications

Prof. Sanjay Sharma, Associate Professor (Reader) in Intelligent Autonomous Control Systems, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, University of Plymouth

May 10, 15:30 - 16:00

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

artificial intelligence Advanced control systems engineering Multi-sensor data fusion Integrated navigation systems Application of AI techniques to the navigation guidance

Abstract Marine autonomy does not have as many constraints as there are on land but there are still challenges that need to be overcome to make the most of current and future opportunities. My talk will concentrate on the research works done in the marine autonomous systems research group at Plymouth where the focus of the research group has been towards application of AI techniques to the navigation, guidance and control of autonomous marine vehicles. The talk will also discuss future challenges in the marine autonomy areas and their likely solutions. Biography Dr Sanjay Sharma, Associate

Mukhtiar Ahmad

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Electrical and Computer Engineering

NTN Communication Terrestrial Cellular Networks distributed systems edge computing URLLC Safety-Critical Embedded Systems Applied AI

Mukhtiar Ahmad is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. His research interests encompass Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), terrestrial cellular networks, distributed systems, and edge computing, with a primary focus on enabling Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) applications. Education and Early Career Mukhtiar Ahmad received the M.Sc. and M.Phil. degrees in Electronics from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Lahore University of Management

Zaid Alyafeai

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Arabic NLP Large Language Models Cultural Understanding

Bumin Kagan Yildirim

Ph.D. Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering

artificial intelligence for wireless communication ISAC distributed multimodal ISAC Semantic Communication

An Egocentric Wearable Camera for Assistive Technologies

Mohammed Kutbi, Assistant Professor, Saudi Electronic University

Apr 1, 18:00 - 18:45

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST Assistive Technology Egocentric Camera Wheelchair

For more information please visit the website

Autonomous platform systems for underwater exploration: Light for the sea, adventures for the robots!

Prof. Toshihiro Maki, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

May 8, 09:15 - 09:45

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Underwater robotics ASV Navigation Observation

Abstract Autonomous marine platforms such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) have a large potential to realize much more efficient ocean observation compared with ship based methodology. Our group pursue the possibility of such autonomous systems by means of the latest robotics, information processing technologies, artificial intelligence, and sensing technologies. These systems will realize wide-area, high-accuracy, and long-term observation through collaboration of multiple autonomous agents such as AUVs. In this talk, some of our latest

Xwing: the journey to deploying autonomous cargo aircraft

Maxime Gariel, Chief Technology Officer, Xwing

Mar 31, 19:45 - 20:30

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST autonomy automation Airspace Integration Xwing Cessna Caravan

For more information please visit the website

Ahmad Didouh

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

cybersecurity trusted execution environments automotive security V2X blockchain

Safe, Interaction-Aware Decision Making and Control for Robot Autonomy

Marco Pavone, Associate Professor, Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University

Apr 1, 21:15 - 22:15

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST human-robot interactions decision making autonomous driving

For more information please visit the website

Autonomous Vision-Based Navigation and Control for Robotic Space Objects

Hesham Shageer, Assistant Professor, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology KACST

Mar 31, 21:15 - 22:00

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST Autonomous Space Robotics Distributed Space Systems Navigation and Control Flying Robots

For more information please visit the website

Situational Awareness System for Autonomous Surface Vehicles

Dr. Hyun Taek Choi, Advanced intelligent Ship Research Division, Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering

May 10, 14:30 - 15:00

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Situational Awareness System Multi-object Tracking Deep-learning based detection Sensor Fusion Autonomous Surface Vehicle

Abstract Recent advancements in robotics algorithms have been made possible by combining probabilistic-based methods with various artificial intelligence technologies. With the support of hardware technologies such as computing power and batteries, autonomous mobility technology has been rapidly advancing across all fields, including land, air, and sea. While marine robots have been somewhat slower to adopt these technologies due to the wide area, various ocean environmental conditions, and their unique characteristics, they have achieved significant advancements in recent years. This

Challenges in Marine Autonomy

Stefan B. Williams, Head of School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney

Mar 31, 12:00 - 12:45

KAUST

Featured Sessions

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping machine learning

For more information please visit the website

On the Fundamental Challenges for Self-Driving Cars

Emilio Frazzoli, Professor, Dynamic Systems and Control, ETH Zürich

Apr 1, 15:30 - 16:15

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST autonomous vehicles Future Mobility

For more information please visit the website

Haziq Jamil

Research Specialist, Statistics

Statistical methodology Bayesian computational statistics Latent variable models Structural equation models Item Response Theory spatio-temporal statistics

Haziq Jamil is a Research Specialist at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. His research focuses on statistical theory, methods and computation, with a special inclination towards social science applications.

Hussein Al-Shatri

Research Scientist, Electrical and Computer Engineering

haps nr-u interference management beamforming tochnologies coexistence prototyping

I chose KAUST because of its reputation for excellence in research and its recent emphasis on applied research. With my extensive background in both academic research and industrial development, I am excited to contribute my experience and ambition. My goal is to foster new ideas and develop innovative prototypes in the field of wireless communications, which will undoubtedly enhance people's lives.

Juan Pablo Muñoz Díaz

Ph.D. Student, Applied Mathematics and Computational Science

applied mathematics bioscience Dynamical Systems deep learning bifurcation theory

KAUST Reefscape Restoration Initiative

Dr. Maram Abadi, KAUST Reefscape Restoration Initiative, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

May 8, 08:45 - 09:15

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Marine Robotics Visual Tracking Biologically-inspired Robots Virtual Reality and Interfaces Computer Vision for Automation

Abstract KAUST Reefscape Restoration Initiative is the world's largest coral reef restoration initiative. The initiative will begin with a 100-hectare reef restoration project at Shushah Island in the Red Sea. This will be a global demonstration of coral restoration that integrates innovative, in-Saudi Arabia, and internationally developed technologies, pioneering propagation, planting, and monitoring approaches, and international expertise to accelerate solutions for reef ecosystems at a time of unprecedented environmental change. The effort will be a mix of coral conservation protection

Babar Khan

Ph.D. (former), Bioscience

biotechnology healthcare

Ph.D. degree in King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

Mohammed A Shukri

Consultant (former), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Neural Networks AI Python BLE communication

Technical Consultant at KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology).

Ahmad Didouh

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

cybersecurity trusted execution environments automotive security V2X blockchain

Weiping Li

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Optical Phased Array broadband photonics-aided terahertz communication and sensing LiDAR

Katerina Nik

Assistant Professor, Applied Mathematics and Computational Science

Partial Differential Equations free boundary problems calculus of variations Mathematical Biology Microelectromechanical fluid dynamics mean curvature flow

Professor Nik studies partial differential equations that describe phenomena in biological growth processes, fluid dynamics, and mechanical engineering.

Developing Marine Robotics for the Western Indian Ocean - Needs, designs and applications

Prof. Michael Roberts, UK-SA Bilateral Research Chair: Ocean Science & Marine Food Security, Nelson Mandela University and University of Southampton

May 8, 11:30 - 12:00

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Marine Robotics Autonomous Vehicle Navigation Field Robots Calibration and Identification

Abstract The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) is one of the fastest warming parts of the global ocean. There is no doubt that this is due to Climate Change. Model projections indicate Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the tropical WIO will rise some 5°C by 2100 with drastic destructive changes in the marine ecosystems and fisheries, impacting food security for the 60 M people who are dependent on this ocean. Inland droughts will accentuate this problem. By 2035 emergency food relief will be need in Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Comoros, and Somalia (already happening). Emergency mitigation

The challenging path to creating fully autonomous and controllable microrobots

Prof. Néstor O. Pérez-Arancibia, Autonomous Microrobotic Systems Laboratory, University of Southern California (USC)

Apr 1, 18:45 - 19:30

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST microrobots autonomy Power Catalytic Artificial Muscles Flight Control Crawling Control

For more information please visit the website

Ali O Balubaid

Researcher, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

living systems Cellular Networks Tissue Engineering bioscience Mathematical modeling

Ph.D Directed Research at KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

Certification of Autonomous Vehicles: A Regulator-Oriented Approach

Huan Xu, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland

Apr 1, 20:30 - 21:15

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST Aerospace autonomy Certification regulations

For more information please visit the website

Xwing: the journey to deploying autonomous cargo aircraft

Maxime Gariel, Chief Technology Officer, Xwing

Mar 31, 19:45 - 20:30

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST autonomy automation Airspace Integration Xwing Cessna Caravan

For more information please visit the website

Gyan Deep Verma

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Electrical and Computer Engineering

FSO/RF Systems Adaptive Optics intelligent reflecting surfaces Chaos Shift Keying

Gyan Deep verma works as a postdoctoral fellow at the Computer Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), under the supervision of Prof. Mohamed-Slim Alouini in the Communication Theory Lab (CTL). Education and Early Career Gyan Deep Verma received his B.Tech. degree in Electronics Engineering from Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, in 2015, and his M.Tech. degree in Communication Systems Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna, Bihar, India, in

Hayssam Dahrouj

Research Scientist (former), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

6g wireless systems cloud- and fog-radio access networks cross-layer optimization Cooperative networks machine learning Optical communications

Senior Research Scientist at KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

The UK National Centre for Coastal Autonomy (NCCA) – A centre of excellence for coastal marine autonomy

Dr. Matthew Palmer, Head of Science - Digital Innovation & Marine Autonomy, Plymouth Marine Laboratory

May 10, 16:45 - 17:15

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Coastal Ocean Ocean Observing Systems Marine Autonomy Digital Technology

Abstract The recently launched NCCA aims to deliver world-leading capability in the pursuit of coastal oceanography using marine autonomy and digital technologies. It will combine state-of-the-art vehicles and platforms, sophisticated scientific buoys, a unique high-speed marine communications network and AI capability to deliver the next generation coastal ocean observing system. The NCCA partnership will deliver high resolution and trustworthy data to enable policy relevant science that enables good stewardship of our coastal ocean environment. It also provides a testbed for emerging

Almutasem Bellah Enad

Visiting Researcher (former), Information Science Lab

communication engineering Data detection and decoding coding techniques for Terahertz Massive MIMO Systems Signal processing wireless communication MATLAB Python

Visiting Student, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Present M.Eng in Electrical and Computer Engineering, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Neuromorphic Computing Architectures for Robot Vision in Marine Harsh Environments

Prof. Jorge Dias, Center for Autonomous Robotic Systems, Khalifa University

May 8, 14:30 - 15:00

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Marine Robotics Computer Vision for Other Robotic Applications Cognitive Human-Robot Interaction Visual Servoing Sensor-based Control

Abstract The design of robots that interact autonomously with the environment and exhibit complex behaviors is an open challenge that can benefit from understanding what makes living beings fit to act in the world. Neuromorphic engineering studies neural computational principles to develop technologies that can provide a computing substrate for building compact and low-power processing systems. In this talk shows why the robots with neuromorphic technologies - from perception to motor control - represents a promising approach for the creation of robots which can be more intelligent and

Saverio Pasqualoni

M.S. Student, Computer Science

collective communication HPC computer networking and systems

Saverio is a Master’s student pursuing graduate studies (M.S. and Ph.D.) in Computer Science at KAUST, working in the SANDS research group on high-performance computing and collective communications, with research interests that bridge systems-level computer science and large-scale simulation through a strong mathematical foundation.

Frontiers in Marine Research Robotics

May 8, 10:30 - 11:00

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Marine Robotics Collision Avoidance Autonomous Vehicle Navigation Distributed Robot Systems Networked Robots

Abstract Marine robotics have evolved substantially since the early days of autonomous underwater vehicles which meant a multimillion-dollar vehicle always accompanied by a surface vehicle. An early step forward in scientific vehicles was the development of the buoyancy-driven autonomous underwater vehicles which could stay at sea for months and traverse large distances and depths down to 1000m, albeit slowly. Critical needs exist for vehicles that can map, image and characterize the sea bottom, and for intelligent fleet management schemes. The mesophotic (below diver accessible depths) and

Almutasem Bellah Enad

Visiting Researcher (former), Information Science Lab

communication engineering Data detection and decoding coding techniques for Terahertz Massive MIMO Systems Signal processing wireless communication MATLAB Python

Visiting Student, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Present M.Eng in Electrical and Computer Engineering, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Alaa Alameer Ahmad

Visiting Researcher (former), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Signal processing communication networks

Research visit to communication theory lab in computer, electrical and mathematical sciences and engineering. KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) ,Worked with research groups supervised by Prof. Mohamed-Slim Alouini and Prof. Tareq AL-Naffouri.

Muhanned Alsaif

M.S. Student (former), Electrical and Computer Engineering

communication systems technology advancements. Localization

Young professional with a robust background in research and engineering, specializing in communication and signal processing applications for estimation. Previous experience: positioning using GNSS. Current experience: subsurface formation estimation using downhole and surface logs.

Shamael Al-Shuhail

M.S. (former), Electrical and Computer Engineering

Multi-carrier Systems Compressed Sensing Approach

From vehicles to teams in maritime operations

Prof. João Tasso de Figueiredo Borges de Sousa, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Porto University

May 9, 10:45 - 11:15

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Maritime vehicles; teams; modelling control computation

Abstract “In his 1999 book The Age of Spiritual Machines, Ray Kurzweil proposed "The Law of Accelerating Returns", according to which the rate of change in a wide variety of evolutionary systems (including but not limited to the growth of technologies) tends to increase exponentially”. Ray Kurzweil, The Age of Spiritual Machines, Viking, 1999, Currently, underwater, surface, aerial, and space robotic vehicles are already providing unprecedented capabilities with a significant impact in maritime operations. But this is just the beginning. Initial progress in the field of uncrewed maritime

Jonathan Klein

Research Scientist, Computer Science

machine learning Computational Photography computational simulations

My fields of research interests include computational simulation, plant simulation and modeling, synthetic training data, machine learning architectures, none-line-of-sight imaging, and computational photography.

Yimeng Chen

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Computer Science

machine learning nlp deep learning statistics computational probability Python

Yimeng Chen is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Prof. Jürgen Schmidhuber's research group at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

Jonathan Klein

Research Scientist, Computer Science

machine learning Computational Photography computational simulations

My fields of research interests include computational simulation, plant simulation and modeling, synthetic training data, machine learning architectures, none-line-of-sight imaging, and computational photography.

Andrea Vanessa Rocha

Research Specialist, Statistics

Statistical Modeling computational statistics machine learning stochastic processes

Saverio Pasqualoni

M.S. Student, Computer Science

collective communication HPC computer networking and systems

Saverio is a Master’s student pursuing graduate studies (M.S. and Ph.D.) in Computer Science at KAUST, working in the SANDS research group on high-performance computing and collective communications, with research interests that bridge systems-level computer science and large-scale simulation through a strong mathematical foundation.

Syed Abidullah Fareed

Visiting Student (former), Information Science Lab

embedded systems IoT energy efficiency machine learning artificial intelligence intrusion detection computer networks

Neuromorphic Computing Architectures for Robot Vision in Marine Harsh Environments

Prof. Jorge Dias, Center for Autonomous Robotic Systems, Khalifa University

May 8, 14:30 - 15:00

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Marine Robotics Computer Vision for Other Robotic Applications Cognitive Human-Robot Interaction Visual Servoing Sensor-based Control

Abstract The design of robots that interact autonomously with the environment and exhibit complex behaviors is an open challenge that can benefit from understanding what makes living beings fit to act in the world. Neuromorphic engineering studies neural computational principles to develop technologies that can provide a computing substrate for building compact and low-power processing systems. In this talk shows why the robots with neuromorphic technologies - from perception to motor control - represents a promising approach for the creation of robots which can be more intelligent and

Andres Villa

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Continual Learning Multimodal learning Visual Language Models AI4Science Action understanding

Andres Villa is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the IVUL lab at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), focusing on AI for Science, Continual Learning, Visual Language Models, and Action Understanding.

From vehicles to teams in maritime operations

Prof. João Tasso de Figueiredo Borges de Sousa, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Porto University

May 9, 10:45 - 11:15

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Maritime vehicles; teams; modelling control computation

Abstract “In his 1999 book The Age of Spiritual Machines, Ray Kurzweil proposed "The Law of Accelerating Returns", according to which the rate of change in a wide variety of evolutionary systems (including but not limited to the growth of technologies) tends to increase exponentially”. Ray Kurzweil, The Age of Spiritual Machines, Viking, 1999, Currently, underwater, surface, aerial, and space robotic vehicles are already providing unprecedented capabilities with a significant impact in maritime operations. But this is just the beginning. Initial progress in the field of uncrewed maritime

Designing And Modelling Soft Active Artificial Muscles “Geometric and Material Nonlinearities”

Marwa Eldiwiny, PhD Student, IEEE RAS Org

Apr 1, 17:15 - 18:00

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST FEMSimulation SoftActiveMaterial Geometricandmaterial nonlinearities Controller design

For more information please visit the website

Hayssam Dahrouj

Research Scientist (former), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

6g wireless systems cloud- and fog-radio access networks cross-layer optimization Cooperative networks machine learning Optical communications

Senior Research Scientist at KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

The challenging path to creating fully autonomous and controllable microrobots

Prof. Néstor O. Pérez-Arancibia, Autonomous Microrobotic Systems Laboratory, University of Southern California (USC)

Apr 1, 18:45 - 19:30

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST microrobots autonomy Power Catalytic Artificial Muscles Flight Control Crawling Control

For more information please visit the website

Hayssam Dahrouj

Research Scientist (former), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

6g wireless systems cloud- and fog-radio access networks cross-layer optimization Cooperative networks machine learning Optical communications

Senior Research Scientist at KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

Zaid Alyafeai

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Arabic NLP Large Language Models Cultural Understanding

Hassan Hadi

Research Specialist, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering

Cyber Security cyber threats SOC UAV Security IDPS

Research Specialist on Cyber Security

Faisal Alhindi

Visiting Scholar (former), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Software Developer Data Analyst

Visiting student at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

Almutasem Bellah Enad

Visiting Researcher (former), Information Science Lab

communication engineering Data detection and decoding coding techniques for Terahertz Massive MIMO Systems Signal processing wireless communication MATLAB Python

Visiting Student, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Present M.Eng in Electrical and Computer Engineering, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Safe, Interaction-Aware Decision Making and Control for Robot Autonomy

Marco Pavone, Associate Professor, Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University

Apr 1, 21:15 - 22:15

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST human-robot interactions decision making autonomous driving

For more information please visit the website

Situational Awareness System for Autonomous Surface Vehicles

Dr. Hyun Taek Choi, Advanced intelligent Ship Research Division, Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering

May 10, 14:30 - 15:00

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Situational Awareness System Multi-object Tracking Deep-learning based detection Sensor Fusion Autonomous Surface Vehicle

Abstract Recent advancements in robotics algorithms have been made possible by combining probabilistic-based methods with various artificial intelligence technologies. With the support of hardware technologies such as computing power and batteries, autonomous mobility technology has been rapidly advancing across all fields, including land, air, and sea. While marine robots have been somewhat slower to adopt these technologies due to the wide area, various ocean environmental conditions, and their unique characteristics, they have achieved significant advancements in recent years. This

Levina Perzhilla

M.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering

development

Optical wireless communication for underwater internet of things

Boon Ooi, Al-Khawarzmi Distinguished Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

May 10, 16:15 - 16:45

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Sensor networks Omnidirectional Vision Product Design Development and Prototyping Range Sensing Surveillance Systems

Abstract Underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) has attracted increasing interest in various underwater activities because of its order-of-magnitude higher bandwidth compared to acoustic and radio-frequency technologies. Testbeds and pre-aligned UWOC links were constructed for physical layer evaluation, which verified that UWOC systems can operate at tens of gigabits per second or close to a hundred meters of distance. This hold promises for realizing a globally connected Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT). However, due to the fundamental complexity of the ocean water environment

Abdelrahman Eldesokey

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Computer Vision Diffusion Models Vision Foundation Models Multi-Modal Large Language Models

Abdelrahman Eldesokey is a Postdoctoral Fellow at KAUST, working on Generative AI and Computer Vision. His research focuses on diffusion models, multimodal large language models, and vision foundation models, aiming to make generative systems more controllable, interpretable, and reliable.

Mhd. Emad Alolaby

Associate Editor, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Network Design telecommunication 5G networks GSM Digital Communications optical fiber AI deep learning MATLAB

The UK National Centre for Coastal Autonomy (NCCA) – A centre of excellence for coastal marine autonomy

Dr. Matthew Palmer, Head of Science - Digital Innovation & Marine Autonomy, Plymouth Marine Laboratory

May 10, 16:45 - 17:15

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Coastal Ocean Ocean Observing Systems Marine Autonomy Digital Technology

Abstract The recently launched NCCA aims to deliver world-leading capability in the pursuit of coastal oceanography using marine autonomy and digital technologies. It will combine state-of-the-art vehicles and platforms, sophisticated scientific buoys, a unique high-speed marine communications network and AI capability to deliver the next generation coastal ocean observing system. The NCCA partnership will deliver high resolution and trustworthy data to enable policy relevant science that enables good stewardship of our coastal ocean environment. It also provides a testbed for emerging

Zhandos Zhakipov

Ph.D. Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering

5G and beyond wireless communication networks digital twins

Simon Nik

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Statistics

Statistics of extremes extreme-value theory stochastic partial differential equations discrete time series

Simon obtained his PhD in 2024 from Helmut-Schmidt-University Hamburg, Germany, with a thesis entitled " Stochastic modeling and statistical analyses of non-negative data and times series". He is now a postdoctoral researcher at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), working in the XSTAT group under Prof. Raphaël Huser's supervision. Education and Early Career Simon obtained his PhD in 2024 from Helmut-Schmidt-University Hamburg, Germany. He joined KAUST as a postdoc in December 2024. Research interests Simon's current research interests focus primarily on extreme

Dynamic Explorations of a TiltWing Aircraft Transitioning from Conventional to Hovering Flight

John Hauser, Professor, University of Colorado Boulder

Mar 31, 19:00 - 19:45

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST Aircraft Maneuvering Slipstream Dynamic Pressure Distributed Electric Propulsion Nonlinear Maneuvering

For more information please visit the website

Bumin Kagan Yildirim

Ph.D. Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering

artificial intelligence for wireless communication ISAC distributed multimodal ISAC Semantic Communication

Autonomous Vision-Based Navigation and Control for Robotic Space Objects

Hesham Shageer, Assistant Professor, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology KACST

Mar 31, 21:15 - 22:00

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST Autonomous Space Robotics Distributed Space Systems Navigation and Control Flying Robots

For more information please visit the website

Mukhtiar Ahmad

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Electrical and Computer Engineering

NTN Communication Terrestrial Cellular Networks distributed systems edge computing URLLC Safety-Critical Embedded Systems Applied AI

Mukhtiar Ahmad is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. His research interests encompass Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), terrestrial cellular networks, distributed systems, and edge computing, with a primary focus on enabling Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) applications. Education and Early Career Mukhtiar Ahmad received the M.Sc. and M.Phil. degrees in Electronics from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Lahore University of Management

Predicting when introduction of robotics in agricultural leads to whole-system changes

Clay Thomas Mitchell, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Fall Line Capital

May 9, 14:15 - 14:45

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Spray drones marginal cost double-cropping option value

Abstract Automation in arable farming is useful for reducing labor requirements (specialty crops) and for increased efficiency of major resources of land, water, fertilizer, and fuel (broadacre crops). In some cases, automation has high market penetration, but has little effect on the farming system beyond the tools it replaced. In other cases, automation leads to complete changes in the cropping system, leaving few inputs and outputs unaffected. In this talk, we explore both ground-based and aerial robotics in agriculture and develop a framework, using the Buckingham Pi Theorem, for

Peter Schmid

Professor, Mechanical Engineering

quantitative flow analysis applied mathematics Earth systems aerospace design energy efficiency

Professor Schmid's research interests are in theoretical and computational fluid dynamics, with emphasis on hydrodynamic stability theory, flow control, model reduction and system identification. He is also interested in computational techniques for flow optimization and quantitative flow analysis.

Mukhtiar Ahmad

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Electrical and Computer Engineering

NTN Communication Terrestrial Cellular Networks distributed systems edge computing URLLC Safety-Critical Embedded Systems Applied AI

Mukhtiar Ahmad is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. His research interests encompass Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), terrestrial cellular networks, distributed systems, and edge computing, with a primary focus on enabling Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) applications. Education and Early Career Mukhtiar Ahmad received the M.Sc. and M.Phil. degrees in Electronics from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Lahore University of Management

An Egocentric Wearable Camera for Assistive Technologies

Mohammed Kutbi, Assistant Professor, Saudi Electronic University

Apr 1, 18:00 - 18:45

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST Assistive Technology Egocentric Camera Wheelchair

For more information please visit the website

Ankit Udai

Visiting Student (former), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Electron Transport microelectronics

Visiting Researcher at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

Salem Al-saqaf

M.S. Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering

IoT electronics artificial intelligence integrated circuits

Salem Al-Saqaf is an Electrical and Computer Engineer specializing in semiconductors, electronics and AI. He combines strong academic training with practical industry experience in AI-driven solutions, data science, and system optimization. His work spans applied research and real-world innovation, aiming to advance intelligent systems, enhance semiconductor applications, and develop technologies that bridge academic discovery with industrial impact.

Houcine Chougrani

Research Scientist, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Non-Terrestrial Networks Embedded systems.

I decided to join KAUST because of its outstanding environment and the exceptional quality of its professors, postdocs, and students. The university's recent focus on applied research resonates deeply with my background, which spans both academic and industrial domains. This alignment presents a unique opportunity to transform our theoretical concepts into tangible innovations, ultimately contributing to the advancement of society.

Syed Abidullah Fareed

Visiting Student (former), Information Science Lab

embedded systems IoT energy efficiency machine learning artificial intelligence intrusion detection computer networks

Peter Schmid

Professor, Mechanical Engineering

quantitative flow analysis applied mathematics Earth systems aerospace design energy efficiency

Professor Schmid's research interests are in theoretical and computational fluid dynamics, with emphasis on hydrodynamic stability theory, flow control, model reduction and system identification. He is also interested in computational techniques for flow optimization and quantitative flow analysis.

Majed Sofiani

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Applied Mathematics and Computational Science

non-linear partial differential equations Dynamical Systems Liquid Crystals Ericksen-Leslie Model

Simon Nik

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Statistics

Statistics of extremes extreme-value theory stochastic partial differential equations discrete time series

Simon obtained his PhD in 2024 from Helmut-Schmidt-University Hamburg, Germany, with a thesis entitled " Stochastic modeling and statistical analyses of non-negative data and times series". He is now a postdoctoral researcher at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), working in the XSTAT group under Prof. Raphaël Huser's supervision. Education and Early Career Simon obtained his PhD in 2024 from Helmut-Schmidt-University Hamburg, Germany. He joined KAUST as a postdoc in December 2024. Research interests Simon's current research interests focus primarily on extreme

Bang Huang

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Electrical and Computer Engineering

FDA-MIMO Radar Talget Detection ISAC haps remote sensing

Bang Huang works as a postdoctoral fellow at the Computer Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), under the supervision of Prof. Mohamed-Slim Alouini in the Communication Theory Lab (CTL). Education and Early Career Bang Huang received the M.S. degree (with honors) in electrical engineering and Ph.D degree in information and communication engineering from the School of Information and Communication Engineering (SICE), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, China, in

Designing And Modelling Soft Active Artificial Muscles “Geometric and Material Nonlinearities”

Marwa Eldiwiny, PhD Student, IEEE RAS Org

Apr 1, 17:15 - 18:00

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST FEMSimulation SoftActiveMaterial Geometricandmaterial nonlinearities Controller design

For more information please visit the website

Amal Alghamdi

Founder, Impact Alpha, Saudi Arabia

HPC Python data analysis finite element method uncertainty quantification

Challenges in Coral Reef Research and Conservation: Robotics and Autonomous Sampling to the Rescue?

Prof. Adrienne M. S. Correa, BioSciences, Rice University

May 9, 11:15 - 11:45

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

fish microorganism probiotics sampling restoration

Abstract Coral reef ecosystems contribute ~$30 billion USD annually to the global economy and harbor 1/4 of all known marine species. However, human activities have driven the loss of 50% of the world’s reefs over the last 30 years, and 90% of remaining reefs are predicted to be threatened by 2030. Thus, there is an urgent need for human interventions to support reef resilience to warming seas, overharvesting and pollution. Various studies have documented the influence of microbial symbionts on host physiology, demonstrated that some hosts are relatively mutable in the symbionts they harbor

The challenging path to creating fully autonomous and controllable microrobots

Prof. Néstor O. Pérez-Arancibia, Autonomous Microrobotic Systems Laboratory, University of Southern California (USC)

Apr 1, 18:45 - 19:30

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST microrobots autonomy Power Catalytic Artificial Muscles Flight Control Crawling Control

For more information please visit the website

Katerina Nik

Assistant Professor, Applied Mathematics and Computational Science

Partial Differential Equations free boundary problems calculus of variations Mathematical Biology Microelectromechanical fluid dynamics mean curvature flow

Professor Nik studies partial differential equations that describe phenomena in biological growth processes, fluid dynamics, and mechanical engineering.

Flying LoRA IoT Gateway for Agricultural Applications

Prof. Samsuzana Abd Aziz, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia

May 9, 09:00 - 09:30

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

UAV LoRAWAN IoT flying getaway smart agriculture

Abstract Low-Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies like LoRa have become prominent for IoT deployments in large agricultural areas due to their low-power and long-range transmission. However, data transmission in large farms with diverse landscapes suffers from obstructions or occlusions, and wired gateways are still difficult to cover the whole agricultural areas without proper network or power infrastructures. This study integrates LoRa gateways with a flying drone to enhance the connectivity to sensor nodes deployed in an oil palm plantation. The LoRa gateway was mounted on a multi

Autonomous Vision-Based Navigation and Control for Robotic Space Objects

Hesham Shageer, Assistant Professor, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology KACST

Mar 31, 21:15 - 22:00

KAUST

Featured Sessions

RobotoKAUST Autonomous Space Robotics Distributed Space Systems Navigation and Control Flying Robots

For more information please visit the website

Exploring the Blue Frontier with Cooperative Marine Robots

Prof. Antonio M. Pascoal, Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR), IST / University of Lisbon

May 8, 12:00 - 12:30

B18 Fellowship Hall

Featured Sessions

Marine Robotics Networked Robots Field Robots Formal Methods for Robotics Telerobotics and Teleoperation

Abstract The last decade has witnessed tremendous progress in the development of marine technologies that are steadily affording scientists advanced equipment and methods for ocean exploration and exploitation. Recent advances in marine robotics, sensors, computers, communications, and information systems are being applied to the development of sophisticated technologies that will lead to safer, faster, and far more efficient ways of exploring the ocean frontier, especially in hazardous conditions. As part of this trend, there has been a surge of interest worldwide in the development of

Katerina Nik

Assistant Professor, Applied Mathematics and Computational Science

Partial Differential Equations free boundary problems calculus of variations Mathematical Biology Microelectromechanical fluid dynamics mean curvature flow

Professor Nik studies partial differential equations that describe phenomena in biological growth processes, fluid dynamics, and mechanical engineering.

Yibin Wang

Ph.D. Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering

machine learning Free Space Optics FPGA

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