Luigi Penco

About

Luigi Penco is a robotics researcher whose work sits at the intersection of humanoid robot control, teleoperation, and human-robot interaction. His research addresses one of the most demanding challenges in modern robotics: enabling humans to intuitively and effectively control complex humanoid systems in real-world environments. Penco's most influential contribution is his sweeping 2023 survey on humanoid robot teleoperation, which has already garnered 236 citations and has become an essential reference for the field. This work, combined with his foundational 2018 paper on whole-body motion retargeting (74 citations), establishes him as a leading authority on transferring human motion to humanoid platforms in real time — a technically formidable problem involving balance, kinematics, and dynamic constraints. Beyond retargeting, Penco has advanced multimode teleoperation frameworks, mixed reality assistance interfaces, and prescient teleoperation systems designed to overcome communication latency — persistent obstacles to practical deployment. His 2020 work on learning robust task priorities further demonstrates his contributions to intelligent, adaptive robot control. Across his career, Penco has helped transform humanoid teleoperation from a laboratory curiosity into a viable technology for high-stakes environments such as disaster response and industrial operations, making his research both scientifically rigorous and socially consequential.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Teleoperation of Humanoid Robots: A Survey

   236 citations · 2023
2. 2
   Robust Real-Time Whole-Body Motion Retargeting from Human to Humanoid

   74 citations · 2018
3. 3
   A Multimode Teleoperation Framework for Humanoid Loco-Manipulation: An Application for the iCub Robot

   40 citations · 2019
4. 4
   Learning Robust Task Priorities and Gains for Control of Redundant Robots

   17 citations · 2020
5. 5
   Mixed Reality Teleoperation Assistance for Direct Control of Humanoids

   16 citations · 2024
6. 6
   High-Speed and Impact Resilient Teleoperation of Humanoid Robots

   10 citations · 2024
7. 7
   Humanoid Whole-Body Movement Optimization from Retargeted Human Motions

   9 citations · 2019
8. 8
   Prescient Teleoperation of Humanoid Robots

   5 citations · 2023
9. 9
   Human-Humanoid Interaction and Cooperation: a Review

   3 citations · 2021
10. 10
    Stability-Aware Retargeting for Humanoid Multi-Contact Teleoperation

    2 citations · 2025

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links