Automatic Control | Robotics | Autonomous Systems

Emmanuel ALAO

Automation and Robotics Engineering building safe, uncertainty-aware control strategies for autonomous navigation.

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About Me

Ph.D. in Automatic Control and Robotics with a strong background in embedded systems, sensor and actuator integration, autonomous navigation, and software development.


I combine analytical research experience with practical engineering skills to design, integrate, and validate robotic and cyber-physical systems. My work spans safe autonomous navigation under uncertainty, sensor calibration and integration, control strategy development, and MATLAB/Python/C++ implementation on simulation platforms and real robots.

Profile

Curriculum Vitae CV.pdf
Current Role Research and Teaching Assistant, UTC Compiegne
Email firstname.lastname@hds.utc.fr (emmanuel, alao)
emmalao4real [at] gmail [dot] com
LinkedIn in/emmanuel-alao-02054414b
Education
  • Ph.D. - Automatic Control and Robotics, Universite de Technologie de Compiegne (2022-2025)
  • Master's - Control and Robotics (Specialization: Advanced Robotics), Ecole Centrale de Nantes (2018-2020)
  • Bachelor's - Computer Engineering, Federal University of Technology Minna (2011-2016)
Languages English, French

Skills

Programming & Data

C/C++ Python MATLAB JavaScript SQL Django Git

Robotics & Embedded Systems

ROS 1 & 2 Nvidia Jetson STM32 Arduino Sensor Integration Actuator Integration Drone Piloting

Control & Autonomous Systems

Automatic Control Safe Navigation Risk Assessment Uncertainty Handling System Modeling Identification Decision-Making

Design & Simulation

CARLA Catia Fusion 360 Gazebo Robotarium Quanser

Work Experience

Research, robotics integration, autonomous navigation, and engineering practice across academic and applied environments.


Research and Teaching Assistant

UTC Compiègne | Compiègne, France

2025 – Present
  • Teaching and supervision of laboratory sessions in automatic control and cyber-physical systems.
  • Supervision of undergraduate and graduate practical courses in linear/nonlinear control, including system modeling, identification, open and closed-loop control performance analysis.
  • Guidance of graduate-level students in planning, control, and decision-making for autonomous single and multi-agent systems, integrating localization, uncertainty handling, and real-time/IoT communications.
  • Introduction to and supervision of MATLAB, Python and C/C++ based project development using simulation platforms (Robotarium, Quanser) and real robotic systems (QCar2, Renault Zoe Car).

Doctoral Researcher

Universite de Technologie de Compiegne (UTC) | Compiegne, France

2022 – 2025
  • Developed safe autonomous navigation strategies for uncertain urban interactions with Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs).
  • Designed multi-risk assessment methods using predictive inter-distance profiles, probabilistic fusion, and uncertainty-aware decision-making.
  • Built multi-level motion optimization and control frameworks integrating risk assessment with predictive control.
  • Designed and experimented with decision-making and control architectures integrating MATLAB/Python, ROS 2, CARLA, and a robotized Renault Zoe car in augmented-reality settings with virtual multimodal agents.
  • Published and presented research at IROS, IEEE IV, ECC, IFAC-IAV, ICINCO, and Springer Nature Computer Science.

Control & Robotics Integration Engineer

ACENTAURI Inria | Sophia Antipolis, France

2021 – 2022
  • Integration of perception/localization sensors and computers (Nvidia Jetson AGX) on the Scout mini robotic platform under Ubuntu and ROS.
  • Calibration of sensors: cameras (360°), IMU, LiDAR and working with partners (Safran, Novocap) to integrate Deep Learning End-to-End algorithms (MOBIDEEP Project).
  • Development of a reactive and proactive autonomous navigation strategy.
  • Preparation, demonstration and documentation for guiding a visually impaired person.

Control & Robotics Engineer - Intern

CHORALE Inria | Sophia Antipolis, France

2019 – 2020
  • Optimal perception uncertainty-aware proactive navigation.
  • Development of robot control strategy in a future time horizon (CROWDBOT H2020 project).
  • Simulation and implementation of developed algorithm in MATLAB -> Python -> ROS Gazebo and on a real robot.

Computer Engineer

Christopher University | Mowe, Nigeria

2017 – 2018
  • Internet/web server, CCTV and computer maintenance.
  • System software management and installation.
  • Networking and SQL database management.

Projects

Selected robotics and control software projects.


Demo Nonlinear Robot MPC

Nonlinear robot MPC with social force model animation

Nonlinear model predictive control for robot control and autonomous navigation using social force models.

NMPC Robotics Control

Video Robotics Video Playlist

Video playlist featuring robotics and autonomous navigation demonstrations.

Video Robotics Demo

Video MiRA-MOC: Multi-Risk Assessment and Multi-level Motion Optimization & Control | Alao et al

Focused video demonstration from the robotics playlist.

Video Navigation Demo

Achievements


2025 Award
Supervisor of the winning team of the Free Urban Challenge at UTAC.
2024 Award
Best Student Paper, ICINCO'24, Porto, Portugal.
2018-2020 Scholarship
Total E&P Nigeria/Quai d'Orsay International Master's Degree Scholar.
2017-2018 Leadership
President, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), NYSC, Mowe.
2016 Academic
First Class Honors, Computer Engineering, Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMinna).
2016 Award
Best Project, Computer Engineering, Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMinna).
2011 Leadership
Vice President, Junior Engineering and Technology Students (JETs) Club.

Publications & Conferences


2025 Conference
E. Alao, L. Adouane, and P. Martinet, “Reliable multi-level optimization for safe predictive control of autonomous vehicles to avoid uncertain multimodal PLEVs,” IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 19th-25th October 2025, Hangzhou, China.
HAL DOI IEEE Xplore
2025 Conference
E. Alao, L. Adouane, and P. Martinet, “Stochastic and safe multi-risk fusion for autonomous navigation in the presence of PLEVs,” 36th IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV), 22nd-25th June 2025, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
HAL DOI IEEE Xplore
2025 Journal
E. Alao, L. Adouane, and P. Martinet, “Multi-Priority-Based Strategy for Risk Assessment and Management in the Presence of Multiple Personal Light Electric Vehicles,” Springer Nature Computer Science, 2025.
HAL DOI Springer
2025 Conference
E. Alao, L. Adouane, and P. Martinet, “Hybrid optimization method for safe autonomous navigation under uncertainty,” 12th IFAC-Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles (IFAC-IAV), 7th-9th May 2025, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
HAL DOI ScienceDirect
2024 Conference
E. Alao, L. Adouane, and P. Martinet, “Multi-risk assessment and management in the presence of personal light electric vehicles,” 21st International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics (ICINCO), 18th-20th November 2024, Porto, Portugal. Awarded: Best student paper.
HAL DOI SciTePress PDF
2024 Conference
E. Alao, L. Adouane, and P. Martinet, “Reliable risk assessment and management using probabilistic fusion of predictive inter-distance profile for urban autonomous driving,” 22nd European Control Conference (ECC), 25th-28th June 2024, Stockholm, Sweden.
HAL DOI IEEE Xplore PDF

Other Congress and Workshops

2025 Workshop
E. Alao, L. Adouane, and P. Martinet, “Safe Autonomous Navigation under Uncertainty: A Multi-Risk Control Optimization Framework,” 2nd Safety of Intelligent and Autonomous Vehicles: Formal Methods vs. Machine Learning approaches for reliable navigation (SIAV-FM2L) workshop, at IROS2025, 20th October 2025, Hangzhou, China.
2024 Workshop
E. Alao, L. Adouane, and P. Martinet, “A Multi-Risk Assessment and Management Approach for Autonomous Driving in the Presence of Uncertainties introduced by PLEVs,” CPER Recherche et Innovation en Transports et Mobilite Eco-responsables et Autonomes (CPER RITMEA) workshop, 28th June 2024, Compiegne, France.
2024 Workshop
E. Alao, L. Adouane, and P. Martinet, “Reliable Risk Assessment and Management Architecture for Autonomous navigation in Urban Centers,” International Symposium on the Verification of Autonomous Systems.

Contact


firstname.lastname@hds.utc.fr (emmanuel, alao)
emmalao4real [at] gmail [dot] com