Daniel Carrillo-Zapata

University of the West of England, Bristol Robotics Laboratory

Papers

Total Citations

283

H-Index

About

Daniel Carrillo-Zapata is a leading researcher in swarm robotics, whose work bridges the gap between biological self-organization and practical engineering. His primary research areas include morphogenetic engineering, human-swarm interaction, and the real-world deployment of robot swarms. Carrillo-Zapata’s major contribution lies in demonstrating how principles from developmental biology—specifically morphogenesis—can be translated into algorithms that allow large robot collectives to self-assemble into functional, controllable structures. His seminal 2018 paper, "Morphogenesis in robot swarms," has garnered over 206 citations, establishing a foundational framework for the field. He further advanced this concept with his 2019 work on controllable morphogenesis, addressing a critical barrier to real-world application. Beyond algorithm design, Carrillo-Zapata has been instrumental in exploring the human factors essential for adoption. His 2020 study on mutual shaping in swarm robotics (54 citations) provides vital insights into user trust and perception across fire and rescue, storage, and bridge inspection scenarios. Through this dual focus on robust self-organization and user-centered design, Carrillo-Zapata is shaping a future where robot swarms are not only intelligent but also trusted and practical.