Luca Varotto

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Luca Varotto is a researcher specializing in active sensing, aerial robotics, and probabilistic methods for search and tracking. His work centers on developing intelligent systems that enable autonomous robots—particularly drones—to locate and follow targets in complex, real-world environments. Varotto’s major contribution lies in integrating radio-frequency (RF) sensing with computer vision to create robust, multi-modal active sensing frameworks. His most cited paper, “Probabilistic Radio-Visual Active Sensing for Search and Tracking” (2021, 5 citations), introduces a novel approach for aerial robots to detect and track radio-emitting targets by fusing RF signals with visual data, significantly improving performance in search-and-rescue missions and collaborative mobile robotics. This work, along with its 2020 precursor (3 citations), demonstrates how probabilistic reasoning can guide sensor actuation to maximize detection efficiency. Varotto’s research has direct implications for emergency response, surveillance, and autonomous exploration. By bridging the gap between radio and visual sensing, he is advancing the capabilities of drones to operate autonomously in GPS-denied or visually obscured environments, making his contributions highly relevant for students and researchers in robotics, sensor fusion, and active perception.