Prof. Dr.
Casals, Alícia
Group Leader
Torre I - Planta 8 | Baldiri Reixac, 4 | 08028 | Barcelona
Email : acasals
ibecbarcelona.eu
Research Topics
Robotics for the assistance to the disabled: Adapted kitchen endowed with a robot and other modular elements
Research on robotics in medicine deals with the close interaction between people and robots. IBEC’s Robotics group designs and develops intelligent robotic systems to assist people with disabilities, as well as medical personnel. This involves acquiring detailed knowledge about the behaviour and intentions of users, their capabilities, and their physical interaction with the robot. The aim is not only to develop an interface adapted to both their needs and the requirements of the tasks, but also to facilitate fine tuning of the level of cooperation between the user and the machine, taking into account the user’s abilities.
Multimodal perception for robot control in neurorehabilitation
Our main project in rehabilitation focuses on the design and development of robot control strategies for a simultaneous operation of a neurorobot and a motor neuroprosthesis. The project intends to advance in the “assist-as-needed” concept; that is, based on the acquisition of biological, physiological and physical data (such as fatigue, interaction forces, intention, etc), an orthotic device – an exoskeleton – is controlled by the user’s volitional commands. Robot control based on such heterogeneous sets of data and signals requires the development of adaptive control strategies dealing with a high interpretation level. In our research, a special effort is dedicated to developing adequate compliant control strategies, which ensure safe interaction during physical contact between human and robot.
The research of the group does not focus uniquely on improving ergonomics, efficiency and safety, but also on the transfer of this technology for its clinical applicability. Thus, our research on surgical robotics has led to the creation of a spin-off, Rob Surgical Systems S.L., which is currently working in the regulatory process of a new robotic system.The aim is to progressively advance in new robot surgical techniques with the goal of reducing stress for surgeons who perform operations requiring highly delicate actions and great precision. Some surgical procedures can be carried out safely and more effectively with robotic assistance, and this technique also improves reliability.
Surgical robotics facilities (with CREB-UPC)
At present, the research team also is working within an FP7 Coordinated Action, EuRoSurge. This work not only focuses on technical aspects, but also on ethical and legal aspects that limit the commercial expansion of surgical robots.
02/04/2013
Tuesday 2nd April's edition of Catalan daily magazine Ara features an article about the minimally invasive robotic station for surgery, Bitrack, which is being developed by IBEC's spin-off company, Rob Surgical Systems.
12/03/2013
IBEC's Robotics group leader Alícia Casals was interviewed on local radio station Radio Rubí this week. The interview formed part of the Rubí al dia programme's celebration of International Women's Day by featuring women with interesting jobs.
01/03/2013
IBEC Senior Researcher Joan Aranda’s project ‘InHANDS: robòtica interactiva per a l’assistència humana en l’entorn domèstic’ has been awarded funding by the RecerCaixa programme.
05/02/2013
Diario Vasco, the daily newspaper published from San Sebastian, featured a report and video about the HYPER project, of which IBEC's Robotics group is a partner.
21/01/2013
IBEC featured on 8tv's 'Equip de Reporters' programme on Sunday night, which was entitled 'Investigant la investigació' and focussed on public and private funding for science. Joan Aranda of the Robotics group demonstrated the experimental robotic kitchen as as example of the group's privately-supported work in developing intelligent robotic systems. Head of Corporate Projects Arantxa Sants commented on the current financial situation in relation to the research community, pointing out that private funding is always needed and welcome even in affluent times.
31/12/2012
IBEC’s Alícia Casals is one of the famous Catalans featured in a new card game aimed at familiarising children with scientific vocabulary.
12/1/2012
Alícia Casals’ Robotics laboratory was featured on Barcelona Televisió's programme "Connexió" on Tuesday 10th January, where they showed some of the robotic devices that the lab is currently developing.
10/11/2011
On 23 October, IBEC's Robotics lab was featured in an episode of ‘Emprendedores e innovadores’ on TVE2.
02/11/2011
Robotics group leader Alicia Casals was interviewed on the Catalunya Ràdio programme "El Café de la República", broadcast on 3 November at 22:00.
11/10/2011
Tonight at the Institute of Catalan Studies (IEC) in Barcelona, IBEC group leader Alicia Casals will inaugurate the beginning of their new academic year with a lecture, "Neurorobòtica, el repte de la robòtica assistencial".
25/07/2011
PhD student Xavier Giralt was interviewed for the 'Gente corriente' section on the back page of Saturday's El Periódico.
21/02/2011
Robotics group leader Alícia Casals appeared last week in Catalan local paper El 9 Nou, which covers the Osona/Ripollès and Vallès Oriental areas. Alícia gave a lecture about this century's challenges in robotics at the 3rd Workshop on Mechatronics at the University of Vic on 16 February.
10/12/2010
Alícia Casals, head of IBEC’s Robotics group and one of the researchers included in the exhibition “16 Catalan Women Scientists” (16 científiques catalanes), will take part in a round table discussion with other participants on 14 December entitled “Women, Society and Science: Breaking the glass ceiling”.
12/06/2010
IBEC's Robotics group leader Alícia Casals features in an online article in Science Careers magazine, the careers component of the journal Science.
18/02/2010
The bioengineer Alícia Casals, group leader of the robotics research program at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) will be recognized for her work as a research scientist in the “16 Científiques Catalanes” exhibition being organized by the Associació Catalana de Comunicació Científica.
