Decebal Popescu

About

Decebal Popescu’s research bridges the frontiers of robotics, control systems, and human-centered assistive technology. His primary contributions lie in the control of hyper-redundant and continuum robots—bio-inspired, flexible arms capable of complex grasping and coiling motions—where he has developed innovative frequency-based stability criteria, decoupled sliding mode control, and spatial weighted error methods to manage their infinite-dimensional dynamics. Simultaneously, Popescu has made significant strides in rehabilitation robotics, designing intelligent haptic exoskeletons for hand rehabilitation after stroke, with fractional order control models that enhance precision and human-robot interaction. His work also extends to affective computing for autism therapy, where he co-developed the PandaSays mobile application, leveraging IoT and AI to interpret children’s emotional states. With over 130 citations across his most influential papers, Popescu’s research is characterized by a rare synthesis of theoretical depth—tackling boundary control and observer design for continuum arms—and practical impact, from tactile sensor development to exoskeleton systems. His achievements demonstrate a career dedicated to making robots more adaptive, safe, and empathetic in their interactions with humans.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Force observer-based control for a rehabilitation hand exoskeleton system

   20 citations · 2013
2. 2
   Frequency criteria for the grasping control of a hyper-redundant robot

   20 citations · 2010
3. 3
   A decoupled sliding mode control for a continuum arm

   17 citations · 2015
4. 4
   IoT and AI-Based Application for Automatic Interpretation of the Affective State of Children Diagnosed with Autism

   16 citations · 2022
5. 5
   Exoskeleton Hand Control by Fractional Order Models

   14 citations · 2019
6. 6
   A Spatial Weight Error Control for a Class of Hyper-Redundant Robots

   13 citations · 2013
7. 7
   Boundary Control by Boundary Observer for Hyper-redundant Robots

   10 citations · 2010
8. 8
   The shape control of tentacle arms

   10 citations · 2014
9. 9
   Point of Contact Location and Normal Force Estimation Using Biomimetical Tactile Sensors

   9 citations · 2014
10. 10
    Coil function control problem for a hyperredundant robot

    8 citations · 2007

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links