I am a scientist at TU Delft in the field of human-robot interaction, strongly focusing on transdisciplinary research and innovation for shaping the future of physical work around robotics, with and for workers. With FRAIM - a large consortium of academics and innovators - we are trying to understand what observations and interventions contribute to making the workfloor more attractive to workers, towards a viable, meaningful and just future of work. For these efforts I received the NWO Stevin Premie in 2024, sometimes called the Dutch Nobel Prize. I was trained as a mechanical engineer at TU Delft and worked there since 2002. My disciplinary expertise is in investigating how humans control their own body, and use it to control or interact with robotic tools or vehicles. I have explored fundamental knowledge to design and evaluate mechatronic systems that become true extensions of our body, and as easy to co-operate with as with a well-trained animal. Some concrete applications I've worked on include intelligent vehicles, (remotely controlled) robotic arms in hazardous environments, and prosthetics. Since 2020 I am scientific director of FRAIM - a transdisciplinary research and innovation center around shaping the future of physical work. I have the pleasure of working with many inspiring scientists and students, on a number of research programmes funded by Nissan, Renault, Boeing, Schiphol, KLM, ministry of Economic Affairs, RVO and the Dutch Science Foundation NWO. Also, I’ve received two highly competitive personal grants: the VENI (2010-2013) and VIDI grant (2015-2020).Teaching is something I like very much, and students seem to enjoy this as well: they’ve voted me as best teacher of the BioMechanical Engineering department for 7 consecutive years. I was selected best teacher of the faculty in 2013 and 2014, and my course The Human Controller received an international award for outstanding Open CourseWare. I also co-developed the first dutch MSc Robotics. I also enjoy outreach and presenting to different crowds about how humans and technology interact: from outreach lectures for Royal Institution (London), Universiteit van Nederland, Gala van de Wetenschap to theatre performances, and from a photo-comic for children to interviews on national TV programs like Nieuwsuur, “Witteman Ontdekt“, “De Volmaakte Mens“, and “Kennis van Nu“. For presentations and media appearances I’m represented by Bukman Management.
Listed skills include University Teaching, Research, Human Robot Interaction, Drums, and 19 others.
