Idil Ozdamar

Genoa · Italy ·
idilozdamar@gmail.com & idil.ozdamar@iit.it

My main research interests include human-robot interaction, haptic perception, collaborative robots, human-in-the-loop control, and contact-rich manipulation.

Projects

Non-prehensile Manipulation

Reactive Pushing Strategy for Mobile Robots Using Tactile Feedback

Developing an reactive non-rehensile pushing strategy that enables real-time manipulation without requiring prior knowledge of object, robot, or environment properties. Leveraging tactile feedback, the method dynamically adjusts robot motion, making it well-suited for real-world, unstructured settings.

Paper link

A Machine Learning Approach to Sensor Substitution for Non-Prehensile Manipulation

Exploring deep learning algorithms and propose a framework that enables mobile manipulators equipped with limited sensors like LiDAR or RGB-D to effectively substitute tactile sensing in non-prehensile pushing tasks. The trained models synthesize tactile information from alternative sensor inputs, allowing robots without tactile skins to achieve comparable or improved performance in complex manipulation scenarios.

Paper link

Physical Human-Robot Interaction and Collaboration

Assistive Robotics and Human Guidance

Developing a human-robot navigation framework that guides visually impaired users through unknown environments using a mobile manipulator. Leveraging LiDAR-based leg tracking and an adaptive impedance-controlled pulling planner, the system ensures safe, real-time human guidance.

This work was selected as a Best Paper finalist at the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA).

Paper link

Enhancing Human-Robot Teaming in Transport Tasks Using Obstacle-Aware Vibrotactile Feedback and Virtual Guidance

Developing a situational awareness framework for human-robot collaborative transport of large objects, addressing occlusion challenges that limit the operator's view. The system integrates a multi-modal haptic feedback module with vibrotactile alerts and virtual fixtures, using dual LiDAR sensors to enhance obstacle awareness and prevent collisions.

Paper link

Carrying the uncarriable: a deformation-agnostic and human-cooperative object transportation

Working on a deformability-agnostic human-multi-robot co-carrying framework that lets the human fully control object transport while robots adaptively follow the leader. By fusing haptic feedback with motion capture data, the robots adjust their motion dynamically without prior knowledge of the object properties.

Paper link

Human Intention Detection via EMG for Direction-Constrained Cobot Assistance

Advances in collaborative robots enable close human-cobot cooperation in manufacturing. This work presents an ANN-based classifier that predicts human movement intent from EMG signals and integrates it into an admittance controller to guide motion along the intended direction, minimizing unintended movements for improved task performance.

Paper link

Teleoperation of Collaborative Robotic Arms

A Reconfigurable Control Framework for Telemanipulating Multi-Arm Systems

Developing a human-in-the-loop framework that aims to control multiple robotic arms with different shared-autonomy levels.

Paper link

Experience

Research Fellow

IIT Logo Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genoa/IT

My research focused on teleoperation systems and multi-robot coordination for collaborative manipulators and developing Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) and collaborative control frameworks.

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Bicchi, Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation Laboratory.
Supervisor: Dr. Arash Ajoudani, Human-Robot Interfaces and Interaction (HRI2) Laboratory.
Jun 2021 - Sep 2022

Robotics System Engineer

Deliversai logo Delivers AI, Istanbul/TR

Autonomous mobile delivery robot company

Nov 2020 - March 2021

Research and Teaching Assistant

kocuni logo Koc University, Istanbul/TR

Courses: Dynamic Modeling & Control, Robotics and Mechanical engineering graduation design project.

Jun 2018 - Jul 2020

Internships

analogdevice logo Analog Devices
Summer 2017

Research on LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) system signal processing and related Matlab/Simulink simulations.

tai logo Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI)
Summer 2016

Worked on signal filtering, processing, and data analysis. Participated as an observer in flight tests.

Education

Ph.D. in Advanced and Humanoid Robotics

Joint Ph.D. in Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) & University of Genoa, Genoa/IT
Supervisor: Dr. Arash Ajoudani
Nov 2022 - Nov 2025 (Expected)

M.Sc. in Biomedical Science and Engineering

Koc University, Istanbul/TR
Full-Merit Scholarship, GPA: 3.72
Graduation with "Magna Cum Laude" (with high honor)
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Cagatay Basdogan
Sep 2018 - Jul 2020

B.Sc. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Koc University, Istanbul/TR
75% scholarship, GPA: 3.69
Graduation with "Magna Cum Laude" (with high honor)
Sept 2013 - Jul 2018

High School

Private Science High School, Izmir/TR

Full scholarship

Sept 2009 - May 2013

Skills

Programming Languages & Tools
  • Python Python
  • C++ C++
  • ROS Robot Operating System (ROS)
  • Simulink Simulink
  • Matlab Matlab
Other Skills
  • Machine Learning
  • Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
  • Signal Processing
  • Collaborative Robot Manipulators
  • Robot Programming
  • Computer Graphics
  • Hardware Design
  • Microcontroller Programming
  • Arduino
  • Latex
  • OpenCV

Interests

Alongside my academic and professional work, I have a strong interest for sports and outdoor activities, with a particular passion for tennis.

🎾 Consistently ranking among the top 32 players in Turkey and competing in the national finals for several years. From 2013 to 2018, I continued competing at the university level as a member of the Koç University women's tennis team. During this time, I founded the Koç University Tennis Club and served as the women's team captain for one year.

🤿⛵ In addition to tennis, I am also a certified scuba diver and sailor, and greatly enjoy spending time on and under the water.

🏃‍♀️🚴‍♀️🏊‍♀️ I have interested in triathlon, holded a triathlon license for a year and participated a sprint-level race. Hoping to race again in upcoming years.

Honors & Awards

  • Presenter of the webinar for Franka Robotics titled "Designing Contact-Rich Robot Control Frameworks for Human-Robot Interaction". Click here to watch
  • Best Paper Award Finalist in Human-Robot Interaction at IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), (Yokohama, Japan) — 2024.
  • Koc University Vehbi Koc Honor Reward: Granted for outstanding academic performance during one calendar year — received in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
  • Ranked within the top 0,1% in National University Entrance Exam — 2013.
  • Rotary Club merit-based scholarship grand - 2010 & 2011 & 2012.
  • 3rd Prize at Intel-ISEF Science and Engineering Fair Solar Materials (California, USA) — 2010.
  • 1st Prize at I-SWEEEP Project Olympiad Energy and Environment (Houston, USA) — 2010.
  • 1st Prize across all categories at MONSTRATEC Project Olympiad (Brasil) — 2010.
  • 1st Prize at Inepo Euroasia Project Olympiad in Energy and Engineering (Baku, Azerbaijan) — 2010.
  • 1st Prize at Inepo Project Olympiad in Energy and engineering (Istanbul, Turkey) — 2010.
  • 1st Prize at MEF Project Olympiad in Physics (Istanbul, Turkey) — 2010.
  • 2nt Prize at Tubitak Project Olympiad in Physics (Izmir, Turkey) — 2009.

Publications

Journal Articles

  • I. Ozdamar, D. Sirintuna, P. Balatti, L. Fortini, Y. Cho, F.J. Ruiz-Ruiz, M. Leonori, A. Ajoudani, “Robot-Assisted Navigation with Adaptive Impedance and Path Planning for Visually Occluded Users,” in International Journal of Robotics Research (IJRR), 2025 (under review).
  • I. Ozdamar, D. Sirintuna, R. Arbaud, A. Ajoudani, “Pushing in the Dark: A Reactive Pushing Strategy for Mobile Robots Using Tactile Feedback,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L), 2024.
    In person presentation at IEEE ICRA 2025, Atlanta/USA.
  • D. Sirintuna, T. Kastritsi, I. Ozdamar, J. M. Gandarias, A. Ajoudani, “Enhancing human-robot collaborative transportation through obstacle-aware vibrotactile warning and virtual fixtures,” in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS), 2024.
  • I. Ozdamar, M. Laghi, G. Grioli, A. Ajoudani, M. G. Catalano, A. Bicchi, “A Shared Autonomy Reconfigurable Control Framework for Telemanipulation of Multi-arm Systems,” in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L), 2022.
    In person presentation at IEEE IROS 2022, Kyoto/Japan
  • I. Ozdamar, S. M. Alipour, B. P. Delhaye, P. Lefèvre, C. Basdogan, “Step-Change in Friction under Electrovibration,” in IEEE Transactions on Haptics (ToH), 2020.
    Online presentation at IEEE Haptics Symposium 2020, Washington/USA

Conference Proceedings

  • G. Solak, G.J.G. Lahr, I. Ozdamar, A. Ajoudani, “Context-aware collaborative pushing of heavy objects using skeleton-based intention prediction,” in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2025.
  • P. Balatti, I. Ozdamar, D. Sirintuna, L. Fortini, M. Leonori, J. M. Gandarias, A. Ajoudani, “Robot-assisted navigation for visually impaired through adaptive impedance and path planning,” in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2024.
  • D. Sirintuna, I. Ozdamar, A. Ajoudani, “Carrying the uncarriable: A deformation-agnostic and human-cooperative framework for unwieldy objects using multiple robots,” in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2023.
    In person presentation at IEEE ICRA 2023, London/UK.
  • D. Sirintuna, I. Ozdamar, Y. Aydin, C. Basdogan, “Detecting Human Motion Intention during pHRI Using Artificial Neural Networks Trained by EMG Signals,” in IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN), 2020.
  • I. Ozdamar, S. M. Alipour, M. Chehrehzad, C. Basdogan, “Tactile Feedback Displayed through Touchscreens via Electrovibration,” in Signal Processing and Communications Applications Conference (SIU), 2020.