GRINS Researcher

Alicia Casals
alicia.casals upc.edu
UPC - ESAII - Campus Sud - Edif. U
C. Pau Gargallo, 5 - 08028 - Barcelona
Office 515
+34 93 4016971

Academic Background
Industrial Engineering (ETSEIB) in the speciality: Electrical and Electronics, at the Technical University of Catalonia, UPC -1977. Ph. in Computer Science, UPC - 1983

Academic Activity
From 1977 to 1986, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Technology, in the Informatics Faculty, her teaching activities have been mainly developed in the degree of Computer Engineering, as well as in different schools of Industrial Engineering, teaching courses in the following areas: Digital Systems, Analogue Design, Robotics, Computer aided Manufacturing, Robot Control and Planning, Computer Vision and Industrial Automation. From 1981 the teaching activities in postgraduate courses, Ph. D programs and Masters related to Computer Engineering and Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing, have been: Interfaces for Process Control, Computer Architectures, Computer Vision, Advanced Robotic Systems, Computer Assisted Maintenance and Integrated Production Systems. From 1986-91 Associate professor in the Automatic Control and Computer Engineering Department of UPC. Professor since 1991 in the same Department. Currently lecturer in the PhD. Programs: Control, Vision and Robotics, and Biomedical Engineering, at UPC, teaching Medical Robotics.

Other Courses
She has participated as a lecturer in other Postgraduate and Master courses in Barcelona, mainly in Robotics, as well as in other Universities: University of the Vasc Country, Leire, Salford, and trans-national courses within the CE COMET program and others.

Research Activity
1973-77: She started her research activity as a research fellow in the Automatics Laboratory, ETSEIB, under the direction of Professor Josep Amat, in the development of electronic systems.

1977: After her graduation she starts her teaching activity with the birth of the Computer Science degree at UPC. The main activity in this period is the launching of the electronics laboratory and the Computer Centre in the Faculty. The first research period was oriented to the study of Ternary and Multivalued Logic for fault detection and error correction.

1980: Beginning of the research in Computer Vision for its application to robotics. The first research work is oriented to object recognition giving place to the Ph. D Degree. According to the research field in the Department, the research is oriented to the design of processors for image processing in real time, going from the study and simulation to their electronic implementation. The research leads to the development of projects on visual inspection for industry.

In 1985 some efforts are oriented to the development of systems for disabled, a tactile terminal for blinds, computer communication by the glance, a keyboard for tetraplegics, starting with an assistant robot in 1989. In 1994 starts the research in surgical robotics in cooperation with the Parc Taulí Corporation, with the development of a computer vision to the technological development in laparoscopic surgery, for the automatic guidance of the laparoscopic camera. The system is evaluated for the first time in real clinical conditions in February 1996. She participates in the research in aids for teleoperation withinthe frame of the project Garbí, underwater vehicle. In 1998 a new project: Robotised kitchen for the assistance to the disabled, integrating several controllable elements besides the robot with its adapted vision based interface. Further work in the surgical field is oriented to provide a support to the surgeon by means of supervised manual robot guidance in orthopaedic surgery, in providing augmented reality information to the surgeon, and development of interfaces for the operating room.

Academic Responsabilities
From 1977 Member of different governing boards and comissions of UPC: In the Department of Automatic Control and Computer Engineeering In the Faculty of Informatics In the UPC Governing Board

1984-87 Head of the Department of Computers Technology of the Faculty of Informatics at UPC

1988-95 Head of the Department of Automatic Control and Computer Engineering at UPC

1995-98 Academic Secretary of the Department of Automatic Control and Computer Engineering at UPC

1986- 2004 Responsible of the Research line Robotics at UPC

From 1989 Head of the Robotics and Vision Division of the Centre of Research in Biomedical Engineering (CREB) of UPC, and from 2003 from the Center of Research of Biomedical Engineering of Catalonia (CREBEC).

Publications
  • Alícia Casals: Assisted Teleoperation through the merging of real and virtual images . International Symposium of Robotics Research (by invitation). Springer tracts in advanced robotics 15, pp 135-144, Springer - 2005. .
  • A. Casals: Assisted teleoperation through the merging of real and virtual images.Robotics Research, Springer tracts in Advanced Robotics: STAR Series pp. 135 - 144, 2005
  • L.M Muñoz, A. Casals, J. Amat: Improved AFM scanning methodology with adaptation to the target shape.IEEE Int. Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA’05 ISBN 0-7803-8915-8 Barcelona, Spain. pp: 1543-1548, April 2005.
  • M. Frigola, A. Rodriguez, J. Amat, A. Casals: Robust modeling of a body for human -robot interaction.IEEE Workshop on Social Mechanisms of Robot Programming by Demonstration. CDRom (www.icra2005.org). Barcelona, Spain. April 2005.
  • Alícia Casals, Josep Amat, Manel Frigola, Luis M. Muñoz, Enric X. Martín, Joan Aranda: Assisted teleoperation through visual feedback and corrective actions.Recerca en automàtica, visió i robòtica. Eds. Antoni Grau; Vicenç Puig, 2004, p. 59-65..
  • Luis Miguel Muñoz, Alícia Casals, Josep Amat: Scale Dynamica Adaptation of the Local Space for Assisted Teleoperation.IEEE ICRA-2004. Omni Press, 2004, p. 4134-4139..
  • Alícia Casals: Robotics Education in Europe.ICRA-2004 Educational Robotics Workshop. IEEE, 2004.
  • J. Amat, M. Frigola, A. Casals: Human Robot Interaction from Visual Perception.2004 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. pp1997-2002. Sendai Japón.
  • Josep Fernández, Alícia Casals: Open Laboratory for Robotics Education.IEEE ICRA-2004. Omni Press, 2004, p. 1837-1842..
  • Alícia Casals: Robots de servicios y personales: Aspectos tecnológicos que dificultan su progreso.Boletín Informativo de AER-ATP , 2 (1) : 3-5. ISSN: FICT-0273, 2004
  • Josep Amat, Alícia Casals, Manel Frigola, Albert Hernansanz: La informática al servei de la societat: la visualització del fons marí del litoral de Barcelona.II Congrés d'Enginyeria en Llengua Catalana. Enginyeria i Cultura Catalana, 2004.
  • L.E.Rodríguez, A. Casals, F. Nacher, J. Domingo: Diseño de un eje robótico para producir ángulos varo-valgo para rehabilitar gonartrosis.Jornades sobre la situació actual i perspectives de l'Enginyeria Biomèdica a Catalunya. UPC, 2004, p. 85-89..
  • L. E. Rodriguez, A. casals.: Control híbrido deliberativo/reactivo de una mano con realimentación muscular.Jornades sobre la situació actual i perspectives de l'Enginyeria Biomèdica a Catalunya. UPC, 2004, p. 99-102..
  • Manel Frigola, Joan, Poyatos, Alícia Casals, Josep Amat: Interactive real time reprogramming of surgical robotic tasks operating in changing conditions.World Automation Congress. WAC, 2004,.
  • A. Casals, M. Frigola, J. Amat i E. Laporte: Quasi hands free interaction with a robot for online task correction . The 9th International Symposium on Experimental Robotics. Universitat de Singapur, ISER'2004, p. ID174 .
  • E. Vilarraga, A. Casals.: Segmentación de imágenes médicas para la detección de instrumentos quirúrgicos.Jornades sobre la situació actual i perspectives de l'Enginyeria Biomèdica a Catalunya. UPC, 2004, p. 271-274..
  • E. Martín, G. Delso, A. Casals i X. Borras: omputer assisted echocardiographic diagnosis.Proceedings of tha 15th IFAC World Congress. Elsevier, 2003, p. 210-220..
  • J. Amat, A. Casals, L. Muñoz, M. Las Heras.: Dexterity improvement in teleoperation through computer vision based automatic correction.Proceedings of tha 15th IFAC World Congress. Elsevier, 2003, p. 100-110.
  • A. Casals, L. M. Muñoz, J. Amat.: Workspace Deformation Based Teleoperation for the Increase of Movement Precision.IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. IEEE Computer Society, 2003, p. 2824-2829..
  • Frigola, M.; Poyatos, J.; Casals, A. Amat, J.: Force and Contact Based Control for Human Robot Interaction.roceedings of the 11th International Conference on Advanced Robotics. Universitat de Coimbra, 2003, p. 1514-1519..
  • Alicia Casals, Josep Amat: Performance Improvement in Surgery by means of Assisted Teleoperation.IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. IEEE Computer Society, 2003, p. 40-43..
  • M. Frigola, J. Poyatos, A. Casals, J. Amat: Improving robot programming flexibility through physical human-robot interaction.IEEE IROS-Workshop on Robot Programming by Demonstration. IEEE, 2003, p. 56-63..
  • J. Amat, A. Casals, J. Fernández.: Technological aspects that make its progress.Proceedings IARP Workshop on Service, Assistive and Personal Robots. IAI, 2003, p. 129-136..
  • M. Frigola, J. Poyatos, A. Casals, J. Amat: Force and Contact Based Control for Human Robot Interaction.Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Advanced Robotics. Universitat de Coimbra, 2003, p. 1514-1519..
  • Casals, A..: Las aplicaciones de la robótica al servicio de la cirugía.OTOLOGY , 2 (3) : 6-11. ISSN: FICT-0302, 2003
  • Alícia Casals: Poliítiques d'innovació i competitivitat.Revista d'Enginyers Industrials de Catalunya , 3 (1) : 30-30. ISSN: FICT-0332, 2003
  • Josep Amat, Alícia Casals, Manel Frigola, Enric Martín: Experimental Bilateral Control Telemanipulation Using a Virtual Exoskeleton . 8th International Symposium on Experimental Robotics. Universitat Salerno, 2002 .
  • Manel Frigola, Alícia Casals, Josep Ama: Sistema de monitorización del ritmo respiratorio mediante visión por computador.Libro de actas del XX Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Española de Ingeniería Biomédica. Pablo Laguna, Salvador Olmos, Javier Mateo, Juan Pablo Martínez. Dpto. Ingeniería Electrónica y Comunicaciones, Centro Politécnico Superior. Universidad de Zaragoza, 2002
  • Alicia Casals, J. Aranda, J. Fernández and M. Frigola: Evaluation of Learning Technologies in Robotics.Proceedings of the 2002 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. IEEE Computer Society Press, 2002, p. 2-7..
  • A. Casals, J. Fernández, J.Amat.: Augmented reality to assist teleoperation working with reduced visual conditions.Proceedings of the 2002 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. IEEE Computer Society Press, 2002, p. 236-240..
  • G. Delso, O. camara, A. Casals, I. Bloch.: Millora de la posada en correspondència elàstica en oncologia mitjançant referències anatòmiques.Terceres jornades de recerca en Enginyeria Biomèdiques. Damien Lacroix i Maria Pau Ginebra, 2002, p. 94-100..
  • Josep Amat, Alícia Casals, Manel Frigola: Visual monitoring of the robot task in cooperative surgical interventions.Proceedings of the IARP WORKSHOP ON DEPENDABLE ROBOTS. LAAS, 2002, p. 99-104..
  • J. Amat, M. Frigola,A. Casals: Selection of the best stereo pair in a multi-camera configuration.Proceedings of the 2002 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. IEEE Computer Society Press, 2002, p. 3340-3346..
  • Josep Amat, Alícia Casals, Manel Frigola: Human body acquisition and modelling for persons-humanoid robots cooperation.Proceedings . National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 2002, p. 76-82..
  • J.M. Fuertes, A. Casals: Formació de l'Enginyer en per a la Societat de la Informació y del Coneixement. Tipo de participación: Ponencia Congreso: 1er Congrès d’Enginyers en Llengua Catalana CELC’00 Publicación: Proceedings pp. 255-270 ISBN 84-88167-80-6 Lugar celebración: Manresa, Barcelona Fecha: Diciembre 2000 .
  • Casals, A.: Medical Robotics at UPC.MICROPROCESSORS AND MICROSYSTEMS , 23 (2) : 69-74. ISSN: 0141-9331, 1999
  • Amat, J.; Casals, A.; Frigola, M.; Pagès, J.: Possibilities of man-machine interaction through the perception of human gestures.CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE , 1 (2) : 159-173. ISSN: 1575-6343, 1999
  • Batlle, J.; Casals, A.; Freixenet, J.; Martí, J.: A review on strategies for recognizing natural objects in colour images of outdoor scenes.IMAGE AND VISION COMPUTING , (18) : 515-530. ISSN: 0262-8856, 1999
  • Casals, A.: Robótica y personas con discapacidad.NOVÁTICA , (136) : 25-28. ISSN: 0211-2124, 1998
  • Casals, A.: La Informàtica i la Robòtica aplicades a les persones amb disminució.Voraviu , (21) : 30-32. ISSN: FICT-0087, 1997
  • Casals, A.: Automatización y Robótica en Ganaderia.ITEA. Producción animal , Año XII (127) : 53-64. ISSN: 1130-6009, 1997
  • Casals, A.: La informática i la Robótica aplicadas a las Personas con disminución.SOBRE RUEDAS , (38) : 20-24. ISSN: 9958-090X, 1997