Robotics Researcher · PhD
Robotics · Adaptive mechanisms · Prototyping
I bring together mechanical design, electronics and software. In robotics, I work across the entire process, from initial design through manufacturing to experimental validation.
HVL Robotics · Førde, Norway
ORCID ↗
Inside the lab / Real prototypeA robot link that changes shape, then locks rigid.Discover the research ↗
An abstract study of form and motion.
About
I connect mechanical design, electronics and software to build working research prototypes.
At HVL Robotics, I work on adaptive mechanisms, additive manufacturing and sensing. My focus is the complete journey: understand the problem, build a solution, test it and share the results.
I am a robotics researcher (PhD) at the HVL Robotics group at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. My work sits at the intersection of robotics, additive manufacturing, and intelligent sensing systems.
My path runs from building 3D printers commercially, through a doctorate on the use of 3D printing in robot design, to research on machines that change their own shape — printing nozzles that resize mid-print, robot links that bend when heated and lock rigid when cooled, and grippers that adapt to whatever they hold.
A particular strength of mine is rapid prototyping across the full development cycle — I can analyse a problem, design both the mechanics and the electronics, program and bring the device to life, test it hands-on, and turn the results into scientific publications. When a design calls for it, I prepare complete manufacturing documentation and have the parts made externally — but when speed matters, I don't hesitate to pick up the tools and make them myself.
Research
Each card opens a closer look — figures, video and the story behind the paper.
A 3D-printing nozzle with a continuously adjustable orifice diameter, enabling variable line widths within a single print.
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Structural optimization of compliant FinRay fingers for the best possible wrapping around grasped objects.
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A robot-arm link that softens when heated, bends into a new shape, and locks it rigidly on cooling.
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3D-printed soft inserts that stop a collaborative robot's jaws from dropping what they hold — up to 411% more grip.
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A series of experiments on printed PLA and TPU — annealing for strength, temperature resistance and tensile characterisation of the material.
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Adding strain gauges to a 600 N manipulator gripper so it can measure and control its own grip — enough to hold a raw egg without breaking it.
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From analysing the brief to a functional prototype.
Experience
My path through robotics — from technical school in Frýdek-Místek and a PhD in Ostrava to current work at HVL.
HVL Robotics — Western Norway University of Applied Sciences · Førde, Norway
Developing new robotic solutions and prototypes for the FutuRaPS project, including a robotic spraying platform for raspberry farming. Ongoing work spans the Internet of Robotic Things, latency-sensitive wireless communication for mobile robots, and large language models in mechatronic design.
Research Centre of Advanced Mechatronic Systems, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava · Czech Republic
Research on reconfigurable variable-stiffness robot links, flexible fingers for soft robotics, and a 3D-printing nozzle with a variable orifice diameter — from design and simulation through manufacturing, testing and publication.
Dept. of Robotics, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava · Czech Republic
Doctoral research on the use of 3D printing in robot construction. Designed FinRay grippers, shape-changing manipulators, and methods for robot repeatability and flexible printed materials.
Dept. of Robotics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava · Czech Republic
Graduate studies specialising in robotics. Master's thesis: Design of the Effector with Measurement of Gripping Force.
VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava · Czech Republic
Early work on mobile reconnaissance robots and the Crawler platform, and on gripping-force measurement for robotic effectors.
Elektro Penco · Frýdek-Místek, Czech Republic
Design, production and testing of 3D printers, their subsystems and machinery prototypes — including 3D-print modelling, PCB design and direct customer communication.
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava · Czech Republic
Undergraduate studies in mechanical engineering — the foundation for the robotics specialisation that followed.
Střední průmyslová škola, Obchodní akademie a Jazyková škola · Frýdek-Místek, Czech Republic
Technical secondary education in mechanical engineering, completed with the Czech school-leaving examination (maturita).
Supervised 8 Bachelor's and Master's theses at VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava.
Taught lectures and exercises in Robotics, Soft Robotics, Kinematic & Dynamic Analysis, Structural Analysis, 3D Modelling and Robot Grippers.
Publications
2026 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), Genova, Italy · pp. 1–6
DOI: 10.1109/AIM65483.2026.11658118 IEEE Xplore ↗Advanced Engineering Informatics
DOI: 10.1016/j.aei.2026.104807Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing
DOI: 10.3390/jmmp9090308Smart Cities
DOI: 10.3390/smartcities8040105Sensors
DOI: 10.3390/s25030765IFAC-PapersOnLine
DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2025.11.763MM Průmyslové spektrum
Acta Mechanica Slovaca
DOI: 10.21496/ams.2023.017Micromachines
DOI: 10.3390/mi14010113Sensors
DOI: 10.3390/s23010295Advances in Service and Industrial Robotics. RAAD 2023. Mechanisms and Machine Science, vol. 135 (Springer)
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-32606-6_54MM Science Journal
DOI: 10.17973/MMSJ.2022_03_2021130Mechanisms and Machine Science
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-04870-8_3210th International Conference on Control, Mechatronics and Automation (ICCMA 2022, Luxembourg)
DOI: 10.1109/ICCMA56665.2022.10011595Applied Sciences
DOI: 10.3390/app112210813Applied Sciences
DOI: 10.3390/app11093858MM Science Journal
DOI: 10.17973/MMSJ.2021_12_2021127MM Science Journal
DOI: 10.17973/MMSJ.2021_6_2021011MM Science Journal
DOI: 10.17973/MMSJ.2021_03_2021004MM Science Journal
DOI: 10.17973/MMSJ.2021_12_2021181Dissertation – VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava
MM Science Journal
DOI: 10.17973/MMSJ.2020_11_2020048Acta Polytechnica
DOI: 10.14311/AP.2020.60.0151Experimental Stress Analysis – 58th International Scientific Conference, EAN 2020
Experimental Stress Analysis – 58th International Scientific Conference, EAN 2020
Acta Polytechnica
DOI: 10.14311/AP.2020.60.0512MM Science Journal
DOI: 10.17973/MMSJ.2018_12_2018100Applied Mechanics 2018 (Západočeská univerzita v Plzni)
INES 2017 – 21st International Conference on Intelligent Engineering Systems (Larnaca, Cyprus)
DOI: 10.1109/INES.2017.8118540Transactions of the VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava, Mechanical Series
DOI: 10.22223/tr.2016-2/2019Projects
Independent projects: interactive tools for engineering and learning. Their public pages are in preparation.
Explore engineering through interactive models, practical calculations and visual explanations. A place to learn by changing the parameters and seeing what happens.
The project page is being prepared.
Letesh and Leteno bring vocabulary, grammar and listening into a regular learning practice, with spaced repetition to help knowledge stick.
The project page is being prepared.Contact
Have a question about adaptive robotics or an idea for a research collaboration? Let’s talk.