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About us

Our Expertise

We have a strong expertise in the magnetic manipulation and localization of medical capsules and soft robots, which we leverage to reach deep inside the human body to diagnose and treat life-threatening and inoperable diseases.   
Soft robotics, intelligent control, frugal design, advanced proprioceptive sensing, innovative manufacturing and smart actuation are some of the scientific tools we use to create affordable lifesaving medical technologies

"We strive to improve the quality of life for people undergoing flexible endoscopy and laparoscopic surgery by creating affordable and intelligent robotic solutions.”​
Pietro Valdastri
Director of STORM Lab UK

STORM Lab Director

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Pietro Valdastri

Professor and Chair in Robotics And Autonomous Systems

IEEE Fellow

Director of the Institute of Robotics, Autonomous Systems and Sensing (IRASS)

Director of Robotics at Leeds

Ph.D. in Medical Robotics at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna

Academic Staff

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James Chandler

Lecturer in Surgical Robotics

Master of Engineering (MEng) Automotive Engineering at University of Leeds
Ph.D. Surgical Technologies at University of Leeds

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Dominic Jones

Lecturer

Master of Engineering (MEng) Biomedical Engineering at University of Leeds

Ph.D. Healthcare Mechatronics at University of Leeds

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Duygu Sarikaya

Lecturer in Computer Science

Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo, SUNY

Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo, SUNY

Post-Doctoral Research Fellows

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Joseph Norton

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

Master of Engineering (MEng) Mechatronics and Robotics at University of Leeds

Ph.D. Mechatronics and Robotics at University of Leeds

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Peter Lloyd

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

Master of Science (MSc) Computational Aerodynamics at University of Leeds

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Benjamin Calmé

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

Master of Science (MS) in Mechanical Engineering at University of Reims, France

Ph.D. Mechatronics and Autonomous Systems at University of Montpellier, France

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Adam Metcalf

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

BEng Mechanical Engineering University of Leeds

Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering at University of Leeds

Ph.D. Students

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Żaneta Koszowska

Ph.D Student

Master of Science (MSc) in Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technologies at University College London

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Michael Brockdorff

Ph.D Student

Master of Science (MSc) Biomedical Engineering at Imperial College London

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Michele Di Lecce

Ph.D Student

Master of Science (MSc) in Automation Engineering at Politecnico di Bari

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Joshua Davy

Ph.D Student

Masters of Science (MSc) in Robotics and Autonomous Systems at the University of Lincoln.

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Alistair Bacchetti

Ph.D Student

Master of Engineering (MEng) in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Glasgow

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Junlei Hu

Ph.D Student

Master of Engineering(MEng) in Mechanical Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University

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Gerardo Loza

Ph.D Student

Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Bionic Engineering at The National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico

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Nikita Greenidge

Ph.D Student

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Medical Engineering at University of Surrey and Nanyang Technological University

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Nikita Murasovs

Ph.D Student

Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at University of Aberdeen

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Vittorio Francescon

Ph.D Student

Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) Mechatronic and Robotic Systems at University of Liverpool
MSc Mechatronics and Robotics at University of Leeds

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Burak Ozdemir

Ph.D Student

Master of Engineering (MEng) in Mechatronics and Robotics at University of Leeds.

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Muhammad Khalid

Ph.D Student

Master of Science (MSc) in Mechatronics Engineering at National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST)

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Charlie DeLorey

Ph.D Student

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computer Science at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
Master of Research (MRes) in Medical Robotics in The Hamlyn Centre at Imperial College London

Visiting Students

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Giovanni Rago

Ph.D Student

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Medical System Engineering at Politecnico di Bari
Master of Science (MSc) Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano

Staff

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Sam Wilson

Lab Manager

Bachelor of Science (BSc) Medical Science at University of Leeds

Alfred Alexander

Research Support Technician

MEng in Mechatronics and Robotics at the University of Leeds

Alumni

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Bruno Scaglioni

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

Master of Science (MSc) Engineering of Computing Systems at Politecnico di Milano

Ph.D. Systems and Control at Politecnico di Milano

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Nils Marahrens

Ph.D Student

Master of Science (MSc) in Mechanical Engineering at Technical University of Munich

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Damith Chathuranga

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

Master of Engineering (MEng) from Ritsumeikan University, Japan

DEng in Mechanical Engineering from Ritsumeikan University, Japan

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Onaizah Onaizah

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

Master of Science (MSc) from Western University

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at University of Toronto

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Luca Audino

Electronics Engineer in Medical Device Development

Master of Science (MSc) Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering at Polytechnic of Turin

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Lavinia Barducci

Ph.D Student

Master of Science (MSc) Robotics Engineering at Università di Pisa

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Simone Calò

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

Master of Science (MSc) Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano

Ph.D. in Medical Robotics at University of Leeds

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Chiara Alberti

Visiting Master Student

Bachelor of Science (BSc) Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano

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Lorenzo Minotti

Visiting Master Student

Bachelor of Science (BSc) Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano

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Giovanni Pittiglio

Ph.D Student

Postgraduate at HARMS Lab, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London

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Nicola Fornarelli

Post-graduate Research Assistant

Master of Science (MSc) Biomedical Engineering at Universitá di Pisa

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Aleks Attanasio

Ph.D Student

Master of Science (MSc) Robotics Engineering at Università di Genova and Universitat Jaume I

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David Biegger

Visiting Master Student

Bachelor in Medical Engineering at Hochschule Ulm

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Antonio Marino

Ph.D Student

Master of Science (MSc) Robotics Engineering at University of Genoa

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Margherita Rustia

Visiting Master Student

Bachelor of Science (BSc) at University of Pisa

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Manish Chauhan

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

Master of Technology from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Ph.D in Bioengineering Robotics at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

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Nicholas Dascanio

Visiting Master Student

Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano

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Tamaryn-Lee Thomson

Electronics Engineer in Medical Device Development

Master of Engineering (MEng) Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation Engineering at University of Leeds

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Robyn Fynn

Research Support Technician

Master of Science (MSc) Fluid Dynamics at University of Leeds

Master of Engineering (MEng) Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London

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Tomás Veiga

Ph.D Student

Master of Science (MSc) in Biomedical Engineering at University of Porto

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Davide Paoletti

Visiting Master Student

Bachelor of Science (BSc) Biomedical engineering at University of Pisa

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Sara Rustum

Visiting Master Student

Bachelor of Science (BSc) Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano

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Sarah Smith

Ph.D Student

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Chemistry at University of Leeds Master of Chemistry (MChem) in Chemistry at University of Leeds
Master of Science (MSc) in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at University of Nottingham

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James Martin

Medical Robotics Research Fellow

Master of Science (MSc) Robotics Engineering at University of Bristol

Ph.D. Medical Robotics at University of Leeds

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Jun Wai Kow

Mechatronics Engineer in Medical Device Development

Ph.D. Surgical Technologies - Soft Robotics at University of Leeds

Master of Science (MSc) Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering at University of Leeds.

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Francesco Verzobio

Visiting Master Student

Bachelor's degree (BSc) Aerospace Engineering at Politecnico di Torino

Currently enrolled: Master of Science (MSc) Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering at Politecnico di Torino

Our Grants enable us to work towards ...

Surgical robotics, affordable intelligent endoscopy, medical capsule robots, soft magnetic continuum manipulators and autonomy in robotic surgery.

Active Grants

Major Completed Grants

European Research Council

ERC Consolidator Grant: NoLiMiTs – Novel Lifesaving Magnetic Tentacles

National Institutes of Health

Magnetic Capsule Endoscope for Colonoscopy in Patients with IBD

EPSRC

Surgery Enabled by Ultrasonics Programme Grant

NIHR/LTHT

NIHR MedTech and in vitro diagnostic Co-operative Surgical Technologies

H2020 European Union

AUTOCAPSULE – Autonomous multimodal implantable endoscopic capsule for the gastrointestinal tract

Intuitive Surgical

Intuitive Surgical Da Vinci Research Kit

EPSRC

Terabotics Programme Grant - Robots with Terahertz imaging to spot and remove cancer tumours

EPSRC

New minimally invasive technologies for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

National Science Foundation

CAREER: Lifesaving Capsule Robots

H2020 European Union

H. Pylori-Scopy – Marie Curie Fellowship for Manish Chauhan

ESPRC

SonoPill Programme Grant

GCRF HEGCE

Ultra-low-cost diagnosis of Helicobacter Pylori in rural India

Italian Ministry of Health

Development and pre-clinical validation of a soft tethered endoscopic robot to replace colonoscopy as a screening tool for colorectal cancer

EPSRC

EPSRC GCRF: Ultra-low-cost endoscopy for gastric cancer screening in rural China

Cystic Fibrosis Trust

A technical innovation in bowel preparation

Garfield Weston Foundation

Accelerating Innovative Robotic Technologies to Fight Cancer

Cancer Research UK

A robotic magnetic flexible endoscope for painless colorectal cancer diagnostic screening, surveillance and intervention

Royal Society

Wolfson Research Merit Award

National Science Foundation

Integrated Modeling, Analysis and Synthesis of Miniature Medical Devices

NIHR/LTHT

NIHR Global Health Research Group on Global Surgical Technologies