Joan Sola

Research professional with experience in several disciplines, like deepwater manned submarines, computer vision, robotics, control systems, analog and power electronics and renewable energies. With a good engineering and mathematics formation, I am also very intuitive and especially like the difficult problems. Looking back, I see that I like to change the major axes of my research activity every X years, with 3 < X < 8. This keeps me motivated while it allows me to broaden my fields of knowledge and expertise. My primary goals are always related to knowledge and to participate in challenging civil projects. In this direction, I would like to get involved in planetary exploration, on one side, and humanoid robotics on the other side. Time will tell if I can manage doing both of them. In 2007 I joined a small team at Ictineu Submarins with the aim of building a civil submersible for 3 people and 1200m depth, Ictineu3. Indeed, a submarine is the closest thing to a spacecraft one can imagine on Earth. And I made a small collaboration with isardSAT, in the field of planetary observation from satellite-based radar altimeters. In 2013 I obtained a Ramon y Cajal research grant which will allow me to pursue research in Robotics, which I do at the Institut de Robòtica Industrial de Barcelona. My research is on sensor fusion and state estimation for wheeled, legged and aerial robots -- among which, humanoids. Specialties: Computer vision; Simultaneous Localization and Mapping; Estimation and sensor fusion; Control systems; robotic systems; Renewable energies, energy in general; electricity and electronics, especially analog and power electronics; Deep-water (over 1000m) submarine technology. Special batteries for electric vehicles. Lithium batteries for deep-water submarines.