Raffaello D'Andrea
{{Short description|Canadian-Italian-Swiss engineer, artist, and entrepreneur}}
File:Raffaello D'Andrea 2023.jpg
Raffaello D’Andrea (born August 13, 1967, in Pordenone, Italy) is a Canadian-Italian-Swiss engineer, artist, and entrepreneur. He is professor of dynamic systems and control at ETH Zurich.{{cite web|title=Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control, ETH Zurich|url=http://www.idsc.ethz.ch/the-institute/people/person-detail.html?persid=147179|website=Idsc.ethz.ch|accessdate=14 January 2016}} He is a co-founder of Kiva Systems{{Citation |title=Amazon Robotics |date= |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/10-years-of-amazon-robotics-how-robots-help-sort-packages-move-product-and-improve-safety |work=www.aboutamazon.com |access-date=2023-10-04 |language=en}} (now operating as Amazon Robotics), and the founder of Verity, an innovator in autonomous drones.{{cite web | title = Inventory Drones Deliver Your Zero-Error Warehouse – Verity | url = https://verity.net | website = verity.net | access-date = 25 December 2022}} He was the faculty advisor and system architect of the Cornell Robot Soccer Team, four time world champions at the annual RoboCup competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2003/07/cornells-robocup-team-wins-world-title-fourth-time|title=Cornell's student RoboCup team wins world title for the fourth time – Cornell Chronicle|website=News.cornell.edu|accessdate=22 August 2017}} He is a new media artist, whose work includes The Table,{{cite web|title=The Table – The National Gallery of Canada|url=https://www.gallery.ca/collection/artwork/the-table-1|website=Gallery.ca|accessdate=17 January 2016}} the Robotic Chair,{{cite web|title=The Robotic Chair – The National Gallery of Canada|url=https://www.gallery.ca/collection/artwork/the-robotic-chair|website=Gallery.ca|accessdate=16 January 2016}} and Flight Assembled Architecture.{{cite web|title=FRAC Centre|url=http://www.frac-centre.fr/projets-64.html?authID=304&ensembleID=1082|website=Frac-centre.fr|accessdate=17 January 2016}} In 2013, D’Andrea co-founded ROBO Global, which launched the world's first exchange traded fund focused entirely on the theme of robotics and AI. ROBO Global was acquired by VettaFi in 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-06 |title=VettaFi Acquires the ROBO Global Index Suite |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230406005219/en/VettaFi-Acquires-the-ROBO-Global-Index-Suite |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=www.businesswire.com |language=en}}
D'Andrea was a speaker at TED Global 2013 and spoke at TED 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.ted.com/speakers/raffaello_d_andrea|title=Raffaello D'Andrea – Speaker|first=Raffaello|last=D'Andrea|website=Ted.com|accessdate=22 August 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ted.com/talks/raffaello_d_andrea_the_astounding_athletic_power_of_quadcopters|title=The astounding athletic power of quadcopters|website=Ted.com|date=11 June 2013 |accessdate=22 August 2017}} In 2016, he received the IEEE Robotics and Automation Award,{{Cite web |title=IEEE Robotics and Automation Award |url=https://corporate-awards.ieee.org/corporate-awards/#field-awards |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=IEEE Awards |language=en-US}} and in 2020 he was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://nae.edu/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=NAE Website |language=en}} for contributions to the design and implementation of distributed automation systems for commercial applications.
Life
Born in Pordenone, Italy,{{cite web|title=artprice – Raffaello D'Andrea (1967)|url=http://www.artprice.com/artist/230918/raffaello-d'andrea/biography|website=Artprice.com|accessdate=16 January 2016}} D’Andrea moved to Canada in 1976, where he graduated valedictorian from Anderson Collegiate in Whitby, Ontario.{{cite web|title=Artselectronic|url=https://artselectronic.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/quadcopters-robots-that-behave-like-athletes/|website=Artselectronic.wordpress.com|accessdate=16 January 2016}} He received a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Toronto,{{Cite web |date=2023-10-12 |title=University of Toronto |url=https://www.utoronto.ca/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=www.utoronto.ca |language=en}} graduating in Engineering Science (Major in Electrical and Computer Engineering) in 1991 and winning the Wilson Medal as the top graduating student that year.{{cite web |title=University of Toronto Alumni Website |url=http://alumni.utoronto.ca/portrait/raffaello-dandrea/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151026202019/https://alumni.utoronto.ca/portrait/raffaello-dandrea/ |archive-date=2015-10-26 |accessdate=16 January 2016 |website=Alumni.utoronto.ca}} In 1997 he received a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology,{{Cite web |title=Raffaello D'Andrea |url=http://www.cds.caltech.edu/archive/people/47.html |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=www.cds.caltech.edu}} under the supervision of John Doyle and Richard Murray.{{cite thesis|title=Caltech thesis library – Generalizations of H-infinity optimization. Control of rotating stall.|url=https://thesis.library.caltech.edu/94/|website=Thesis.library.caltech.edu|year=1997|doi=10.7907/4R8P-RR02|accessdate=16 January 2016|last1=D'Andrea|first1=Raffaello|type=phd}}
He joined the Cornell faculty in 1997.{{cite web|title=Cornell|url=http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2002/03/raffaello-dandrea-receives-presidential-early-career-award|website=News.cornell.edu|accessdate=16 January 2016}} While on sabbatical in 2003, he co-founded Kiva Systems with Mick Mountz and Peter Wurman. He became Kiva Systems’ chief technical advisor in 2007 when he was appointed professor of dynamic systems and control at ETH Zurich.{{cite web|title=Professor Raffaello D'Andrea – Division of Engineering Science – University of Toronto|url=http://engsci.utoronto.ca/who/board-of-advisors-2015/professor-raffaello-dandrea/|website=Engsci.utoronto.ca|accessdate=16 January 2016}} He founded Verity with Markus Waibel and Markus Hehn in 2014.{{cite web|title=Startup Ticker|url=http://www.startupticker.ch/en/news/september-2014/when-drones-do-magic|website=Startupticker.ch|accessdate=16 January 2016}}
Work
=Academic work=
After receiving his PhD in 1997, he joined the Cornell faculty as an assistant professor, where he was a founding member of the Systems Engineering program, and where he established robot soccer — a competition featuring fully autonomous robots — as the flagship, multidisciplinary team project. In addition to pioneering the use of semi-definite programming for the design of distributed control systems,{{cite journal|title=IEEE XPlore – Distributed control design for spatially interconnected systems|doi=10.1109/TAC.2003.816954}} he went on to lead the Cornell Robot Soccer Team to four world championships at international RoboCup competitions in Sweden, Australia, Italy, and Japan.{{cite web |title=2020 National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee: Prof. Raffaello D'Andrea, Advisor of Four-Time World Champion Robot Soccer Team |url=https://www.robocup.org/news/89 |accessdate=16 January 2016 |website=}} D'Andrea received the Presidential Early Career Award for complex interconnected systems research in 2002.{{Cite web |title=Raffaello D'Andrea receives Presidential Early Career Award for complex interconnected systems research {{!}} Cornell Chronicle |url=https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2002/03/raffaello-dandrea-receives-presidential-early-career-award |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=news.cornell.edu |language=en}}
After being appointed professor at ETH Zurich in 2007,{{Cite web |last1=Mechanical |first1=Address ETH Zürich Dep of |last2=Switzerland |first2=Process Eng Prof Dr Raffaello D'Andrea Inst Dynam Syst u Regelungst ML K. 36 1 Sonneggstrasse 3 8092 Zürich |title=Prof. Dr. Raffaello D'Andrea {{!}} ETH Zurich |url=https://idsc.ethz.ch/research-dandrea/people/person-detail.MTQ3MTc5.TGlzdC8zMzc0LDE3MzMwODk3OQ==.html |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=idsc.ethz.ch |language=en}} D’Andrea established a research program that combined his broad interests and cemented his hands-on teaching style. His team engages in cutting-edge research by designing and building creative experimental platforms that allow them to explore the fundamental principles of robotics, control, and automation. His creations include the Flying Machine Arena,{{cite web|title=The Flying Machine Arena|url=http://flyingmachinearena.org/|website=Flyingmachinearena.org|accessdate=16 January 2016}} where flying robots perform aerial acrobatics, juggle balls, balance poles, and cooperate to build structures; the Distributed Flight Array,{{cite web|title=Distributed Flight Array|url=http://www.idsc.ethz.ch/research-dandrea/research-projects/distributed-flight-array.html|website=Idsc.ethz.ch|accessdate=16 January 2016}} a flying platform consisting of multiple autonomous single propeller vehicles that are able to drive, dock with their peers, and fly in a coordinated fashion; the Balancing Cube,{{cite web|title=Balancing Cube|url=http://www.idsc.ethz.ch/research-dandrea/research-projects/archive/balancing-cube.html|website=Idsc.ethz.ch|accessdate=16 January 2016}} a dynamic sculpture that can balance on any of its edges or corners; Blind Juggling Machines{{cite web|title=Blind Juggling Machines|url=http://www.blindjuggler.org/|website=Blindjuggler.org|accessdate=16 January 2016}} that can juggle balls without seeing them, and without catching them; and the Cubli,{{cite web|title=The Cubli|url=http://www.idsc.ethz.ch/research-dandrea/research-projects/cubli.html|website=Idsc.ethz.ch|accessdate=16 January 2016}} a cube that can jump up, balance, and walk.
=Entrepreneurial work=
D’Andrea co-founded Kiva Systems in 2003 with Mick Mountz and Peter Wurman.{{Citation |title=Amazon Robotics |date=2023-09-22 |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/10-years-of-amazon-robotics-how-robots-help-sort-packages-move-product-and-improve-safety |work= |access-date=2023-10-04 |language=en}} He became chief technical advisor when he was appointed professor of dynamic systems and control at ETH Zurich in 2007.{{cite web|title=bcg.perspectives – Raffaello D'Andrea on the Future of Robotics|url=https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/videos/technology_strategy_technology_business_transformation_dandrea_raffaello_future_robotics/|website=Bcgperspectives.com|accessdate=16 January 2016}} At Kiva, he led the systems architecture, robot design, robot navigation and coordination, and control algorithms efforts.{{cite web|title=IEEE Spectrum|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/three-engineers-hundreds-of-robots-one-warehouse|website=IEEE|date=2 July 2008|access-date=16 January 2016}}
D’Andrea founded Verity in 2014 with Markus Hehn and Markus Waibel. The stated purpose of the company is "to develop autonomous indoor drone systems and related technologies for commercial applications."{{cite web|title=Verity AG, Zurich (Trade Register Data, Switzerland)|url=https://www.moneyhouse.ch/en/company/verity-ag-15146606271|website=Moneyhouse.ch|access-date=14 May 2020}} The company partnered with Cirque du Soleil to create Sparked, a live interaction between humans and quadcopters{{cite web|title=Robohub – New quadrocopter video points to a future for flying machines in entertainment |url=http://robohub.org/new-quadrocopter-video-points-to-a-future-for-flying-machines-in-entertainment/|website=Robohub.org|access-date=16 January 2016}}{{cite web|title=SPARKED: A Live Interaction Between Humans and Quadcopters|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C8OJsHfmpI|website=Youtube.com| date=22 September 2014 |access-date=16 January 2016}} and has provided autonomous drone shows for large concert tours like Metallica's WorldWired Tour, Drake (musician)'s Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour, Celine Dion's Courage World Tour,{{cite web|title=Metallica 2017–2019 Tour|url=https://veritystudios.com/work/metallicatour|website=Veritystudios.com|access-date=14 May 2020}}{{cite web|title=Drake 2018–2019 Tour|url=https://veritystudios.com/work/drake|website=Veritystudios.com|access-date=14 May 2020}}{{cite web|title=Celine Dion 2019–2020 Tour|url=https://veritystudios.com/work/celine-dion-tour|website=Veritystudios.com|access-date=14 May 2020}} Justin Bieber's 2022 Justice World Tour, and the Australasian Dance Collective (ADC).{{Cite web |title=Lucie In the Sky ★★★★ |url=https://limelightmagazine.com.au/reviews/lucie-in-the-sky-australasian-dance-collective/ |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=Limelight |language=en-AU}}
Since 2016, D'Andrea and Verity have been focused on delivering autonomous inventory drone systems for commercial warehouses to support inventory tracking and management, and other use cases.{{cite web|url=https://verity.net/|title=Self-flying Inventory Drones Deliver Your Zero-Error Warehouse|access-date=2023-02-08}} In 2023, IKEA announced the milestone of 100 Verity drones in use in its warehouses, and Maersk announced its use of the Verity system in its warehouses.{{Cite web |date=March 15, 2023 |title=One hundred drones now used across IKEA retail for stock inventory |url=https://www.ingka.com/news/one-hundred-drones-now-used-across-ikea-retail-for-stock-inventory/ |access-date=September 14, 2023 |website=www.ingka.com}}{{Cite web |title=Maersk turns to drones to track warehouse inventory {{!}} DC Velocity |url=https://www.dcvelocity.com/articles/57599-maersk-turns-to-drones-to-track-warehouse-inventory |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=www.dcvelocity.com |language=en}} In July 2023, Verity announced completion of a $43M Series B fundraising round that included Qualcomm Ventures.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-11 |title=Verity Extends Oversubscribed Series B Round to Include Qualcomm Ventures, Bringing Total Round to $43M |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230711731686/en/Verity-Extends-Oversubscribed-Series-B-Round-to-Include-Qualcomm-Ventures-Bringing-Total-Round-to-43M |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=www.businesswire.com |language=en}}
=Artistic work=
D’Andrea and Canadian artist Max Dean unveiled their collaborative work The Table at the Venice Biennale in 2001.{{cite web|title=Leonardo Digital Reviews|url=http://www.leonardo.info/reviews/sep2001/ev_PLATEAU_triscott.html|website=Leonardo.info|access-date=16 January 2016}} They orchestrate a scenario wherein a spectator, selected by the table, becomes a performer, who is now an object not only of the table's "attention", but also of the other viewers'. It is part of the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Canada (NGC).{{cite web|title=DOCAM – Max Dean and Raffaello D'Andrea, The Table, 1984–2001|url=http://www.docam.ca/en/case-studies/the-table.html|website=Docam.ca|access-date=16 January 2016}}
The Robotic Chair was created by D’Andrea, Max Dean, and Canadian artist Matt Donovan. It is an ordinary looking chair that falls apart and re-assembles itself. It was first unveiled to the general public at IdeaCity in 2006.{{cite web|title=IdeaCity|url=http://creativegeneralist.com/2006/06/ideacity-wednesday/|website=Creativegeneralist.com|date=22 June 2006 |access-date=16 January 2016}} It is part of the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Canada (NGC).{{cite web|title=The Robotic Chair, 1984–2006 (National Gallery of Canada)|url=http://www.gallery.ca/en/see/collections/artwork.php?mkey=195926|website=Gallery.ca|access-date=16 January 2016}}
D’Andrea and Swiss architects Gramazio & Kohler created Flight Assembled Architecture, the first architectural installation assembled by flying robots. It took place at the FRAC Centre Orléans in France in 2011–2012. The installation consists of 1,500 modules put into place by a multitude of quadrotor helicopters. Within the build, an architectural vision of a 600-metre high "vertical village" for 30,000 inhabitants unfolds as a model in 1:100 scale.{{cite web|title=Swiss Info – Flight assembled architecture|url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/construction-robots_flight-assembled-architecture/38111854|website=Swissinfo.ch|date=15 April 2014 |access-date=16 January 2016}} It is in the permanent collection of the FRAC Centre.
Awards and honors
- 2020 National Academy of Engineering Member
- 2020 National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee{{Cite web|url=https://www.invent.org/inductees/raffaello-dandrea|title=Raffaello D'Andrea|last=|first=|date=|website=Invent.org|access-date=}}
- 2016 IEEE Robotics and Automation Award
- 2015 Engelberger Robotics Award{{cite web|title=2015 Engelberger Robotics Award|url=http://www.robotics.org/robotic-content.cfm/Robotics/Engelberger-Awards/id/55|website=Robotics.org|access-date=16 January 2016}}
- 2008 IEEE/IFR Invention and Entrepreneurship Award{{cite web|title=2008 IEEE/IFR Invention and Entrepreneurship Award|url=http://www.ieee-ras.org/industry-government/ifr-forum/69-awards-recognition/society-awards/63-ieee-ifr-invention-and-entrepreneurship-award|website=Ieee-ras.org|access-date=16 January 2016}}
- 2002 Presidential Early Career Award
References
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Category:Electronics engineers
Category:Cornell University faculty
Category:Recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers