Nicola Roberto Zema
Table of Contents
1 Highlights
I was born in 1986 in Reggio Calabria, Italy. I currently am an Associate Professor (Maître des Conférences) at the Laboratoire de Recherche en Informatique in Paris (LRI) and University of Paris-Saclay (ex-Paris-11, ex-Paris-Sud), France.
I currently investigate the robotic applications of intertwined networking and control. My research revolves around the combination of exact mathematical models and robust meta-heuristics, all seen from a primarily Telecommunications perspective. From 2015 to 2017 i bridged my PhD research on autonomic and bio-inspired networking with distributed networked control, in the framework of DIVINA Team. Between 2017 and 2018 I worked at the IFSTTAR research center in Lille, in the COSYS department, where I bridged again two domains: the Transportation and Networking. In detail, I worked on co-simulation between the ERTMS simulator suite and Riverbed Modeler (ex-OPNET).
From May 2018 I work at the LRI (Laboratoire de Recherche en Informatique) at Paris-Saclay, where the objective of my research is to integrate Distributed Networked Control With Machine Learning.
From September 2019 I am an Associate Professor (Maître des Conférences) at University of Paris-Saclay.
1.1 Experience Summary
- Sept 2019 Maître des Conférences at University of Paris-Saclay (Paris-XI)
- 2018-2019 Postdoc at LRI (U-Psud)
- 2017-2018 Postdoc at IFSTTAR Lille
- 2017 ATER at Université de Technologie de Compiègne
- 2015-2017 Postdoc at Université de Technologie de Compiègne
- 2015 PhD in Information Engineering at Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria
- 2012 MSc in Telecommunication Engineering at Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria
- 2009 BSc in Telecommunication Engineering at Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria
1.2 Background
I graduated in Telecommunications Engineering (BSc 2009; MSc 2011) and received a PhD in Information Engineering (Feb 2012 - Jun 2015) at the University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, Italy.
The research on Sensors, Autonomic and Epidemic Networks, that I developed during my doctoral studies, coupled with my constant efforts to understand the fundamentals of everything I learn, has helped me gaining deeper insights into the investigated issues and, again, reinforced my interest in pursuing research in this field.
I performed an extensive theoretical research on Autonomic, Cognitive and Bio-Inspired Networking culminating in the deployment of a network framework within the PRIN (National Relevance Research Project) project STEMNet: “STEM” devices for self-organizing wireless Networks (2009).
During my thesis, I have envisioned a particular geographically-driven information flow in a wireless sensor network environment that is capable to drive mobile nodes in the field thanks to the information diffused by the network nodes themselves. This idea led to the development of a practical and scalable implementation of a robot movement protocol in a GPS-denied environment that uses “r-maps” for relative positioning and navigation. In this settings, the choices of the nodes are driven by distributed algorithms and cognitive cycles present on them.
During my first years of post-doctoral fellowship, i focused to introduce control theory in my research activities and be able to develop interesting insight on the research crest between networking, control and robotics.
From 2018 I have switched back to mathematical modeling, during my fellowship and then professorship at University Paris-Saclay (Paris 11).
The varied experience gathered from my previous research has convinced me to develop a work culture to meticulously control small steps in an experiment in order to fully understand its dynamics. Moreover, it allowed me to develop a work ethic where theoretical models and experiments must proceed together with equal importance. I like applying the knowledge I gained to real problems, working in an intellectual and stimulating environment where I can keep learning and improving.
1.3 My CV for download
UPDATE: FEB 2019 CV! (UPDATE: FEB 2019)
1.4 Coordinates
Dr. Nicola Roberto Zema | |
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Nicola Zema |
1.5 Disclaimer
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2 Research Topics
In my academic career, my research domain has always been Networking.
2.1 As a student
During my PhD i was more focused on pure Telecommunication aspects and, in detail, IEEE 802.11-related topics like:
- mesh networks
- autonomic networks
- bio-inspired newtorking
- controlled mobility
In detail, i worked first on the application of cognitive abilities on network nodes, like the capability to sense their neighbor's network parameters and then i switched to mobility-related issues in the same environment. Publications on the subject:
STEM‐Net: an evolutionary network architecture for smart and sustainable cities.,
COMVIVOR: an evolutionary communication framework based on survivors' devices Reuse.
Near the end of my PhD i already transitioned to a controlled-mobility centered research, developing GPS-less, network-centered tracking systems and active node searches using flying robots. Publications on the subject:
Using location services to autonomously drive flying mobile sinks in Wireless Sensor Networks.,
A GPS-less on-demand mobile sink-assisted data collection in wireless sensor networks.
During the transition between my PhD and my postdoc i started to include elements of control engineering in my research. This tendency has then sprouted in an increased reliance of exact models and mathematical formulations, that, in turn bounded me more and more with topics of control theory. Publications on the subject:
Healing Wireless Sensor Networks from Malicious Epidemic Diffusion,
MeDrone: On the use of a medical drone to heal a sensor network infected by a malicious epidemic
2.2 DIVINA Challenge Team (2016 - mid 2017)
My research horizon broadened when i joined the DIVINA LABEX MS2T Challenge team, whose stated topic is: to efficiently explore a totally or partially unknown area using a multi-UAV system with vision sensors as the main perception modality and bio-inspired communications through distributed control.
For this project, my contributions are four-pronged:
new simulation tools to merge the world of networking and control engineering for robotic applications (UAVs)
The CUSCUS simulator for distributed networked control systems: Architecture and use-cases
CUSCUS: An integrated simulation architecture for Distributed Networked Control Systems.
new algorithms and protocols for distributed networked control
A Packet Loss Tolerant Rendezvous Algorithm for Wireless Networked Robot Systems.
A cooperative packet loss-tolerant algorithm for wireless networked robots rendezvous.
new bio-inspired approaches for network-aware robotic movement schemes
A Discretized Approach to Air Pollution Monitoring Using UAV-based Sensing
A chemotactic pollution-homing UAV guidance system.
Using UAV-based systems to monitor air pollution in areas with poor accessibility.
PdUC-D: A Discretized UAV Guidance System for Air Pollution Monitoring Tasks
new perspectives in multi-robot coordination.
A mathematical formulation to optimize UAV trajectories for WSN data collection
An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Network for Sport Event Filming with Communication Constraints.
A biobjective formulation for filming sport events problem using drones
Enregistrement d’événements sportifs par un réseau de drones avec des contraintes de communication.
2.3 LRI
During my postdoc at the LRI, I started to dwell more and more in the domain of Machine Learning and a new line of research has been opened on using Q-Learning for robotic formation control in challenged environment.
In this field my contribution revolves around a new approach to formation control for fleets of UAVs that uses machine learning to pilot the robots using only RSSI measurements.
Formation control of a mono-operated UAV fleet through ad-hoc communications: a Q-learning approach
Contrôle de formation d'un réseau de drones à base d'apprentissage par renforcement
I have also further followed my previous research on Controlled Mobility by refining and finalizing the previous research line in large-breadth publications.
Take the Field from your Smartphone: Leveraging UAVs for Event Filming
3 Teaching
3.1 Current Courses
- Teaching assistant of "Programmation système et réseau"
Nov 2019 - Jan 2020, Université Paris Saclay - Orsay, 32 hours M2 - Informatique Science des Données (ISD). This module trains students in system and network programming in a TCP / IP environment for embedded computing. Students learn how to manipulate a GNU / Linux system to configure and use a WiFi network in Ad-hoc mode, cross-compilation for the development of applications on embedded systems, as well as putting into practice algorithms of graph theory to optimize the use of a network whose topology is known. As a result of this module, students will have acquired rare and highly sought-after skills in the professional network and embedded systems market.
- Teaching Assistant of "Architecture des réseaux"
Sept 2019 - Jan 2020, Université Paris Saclay - Orsay, 36 hours IUT - S2, Informatique. Objectives: Comprendre l’organisation et le fonctionnement d’un réseau informatique
- Teaching Assistant of "Conception et programmation objet avancées"
Sept 2019 - Jan 2020, Université Paris Saclay - Orsay, 36 hours IUT - S3, Informatique. Objectives: Produire une conception détaillée en appliquant des patrons de conception, la mettre en œuvre en utilisant des bonnes pratiques de programmation orientée objet
- Teaching Assistant of "Bases de la conception orientée objet"
Sept 2019 - Jan 2020, Université Paris Saclay - Orsay, 36 hours IUT - S2, Informatique. Objectives: Comprendre et modéliser une conception détaillée, produire les tests unitaires associés et l’implanter avec un langage à objets
- Teaching Assistant of "Bases de la programmation orientée objet"
Sept 2019 - Jan 2020, Université Paris Saclay - Orsay, 36 hours IUT - S2, Informatique. Objectives: Développer un programme dans un langage de programmation orienté objet à partir d'une conception détaillée.
4 Publication List
Journals
Note: the author list of the items marked with an "*" is in fully alphabetical order.
-
* Sabato Manfredi, Enrico Natalizio, Claudio Pascariello,
Nicola Roberto Zema.
Stability and Convergence of a message-loss-tolerant rendezvous
algorithm for wireless networked robot systems.
Accepted for publication by: Transactions on Control of Network Systems.
IEEE 2019
.
[BibTeX]
Stability and Convergence of a message-loss-tolerant rendezvous algorithm for wireless networked robot systems.
Accepted for publication by: Transactions on Control of Network Systems. IEEE 2019 .
[BibTeX]