Stefano Caselli is Professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Parma, where he teaches courses on Operating and real-time systems, Digital systems design (at the Department of Engineering and Architecture), and Biostatistics and bioinformatics (at the Department of Veterinary Sciences). He is member of the Department of Veterinary Sciences (since 2021) and of the University Center for Energy and Environment (CIDEA). Prior to his current position, from 1990 to 2000 he held Researcher and Associate Professor positions at the University of Parma. In 1989-90 he was a visiting scholar at the Machine Intelligence Laboratory of the University of Florida. He received the Laurea degree in Electronic Engineering (1982) and the Ph.D. degree in Computer and Electronic Engineering (1987), both from the University of Bologna.
From 2000 to 2003 he was Chairman of the undergraduate and graduate degrees in Computer Engineering, Electronic Engineering, and Telecommunication Engineering of the University of Parma. From 2003 to 2006 he was Chairman of the degrees in Computer Engineering at the same University. In 2003-2005 he was Rector's Delegate for the University of Parma Information Systems. He represented the University of Parma in the Scientific Committee of the Digital Agenda of Regione Emilia-Romagna during legislation 2011-2015. From 2014 to 2021 he has been Director of the Ph.D. School in Engineering and Architecture. In 2025 he was member of the University of Parma Academic Senate. He is the founder (1992) and past Director of RIMLab, the Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (http://rimlab.ce.unipr.it) at the University of Parma. Currently, Stefano Caselli is member of direction committee of the regional public-private partnership on Mechatronics (Cluster MECH, Scientific Chairman), where he previously coordinated the value chain on Automation and Robotics and was the Scientific Coordinator for one term. He is also member of the public-private partnership on Agriculture (Cluster AGRO) promoted by Regione Emilia-Romagna. In 2024 and 2025 he was part of the University of Parma committee who selected 2 researchers and 9 master students from the Gaza Strip to receive research or study grants (IUPALS project and University of Parma grants). These researchers and students were later evacuated from Gaza and are currently safe in Parma.
Stefano Caselli's research interests include autonomous robots, advanced robot programming paradigms and human-machine interaction techniques, real-time architectures, theory and modeling of parallel and distributed computing, distributed computer systems application for the benefit of the society.
On these topics, he has been principal investigator in research projects funded by the European Union, Italian Ministry for University and Research, CNR (including national programmes and special initiatives on Robotics), regional government, and other funding and research agencies. The Laboratory for Robotics RIMLab is actively involved in research and technology transfer initiatives supported by regional programmes and has direct collaborations with several local automation and IT companies.
As a sample of recent and ongoing projects, Stefano Caselli has been researcher and WP leader within the POR-FESR project ALADIN (Water-Smart AgriFood solutions) (2016-2018), coordinated by CIDEA and aiming at optimized precision irrigation for open field crops based on a variety of sensors, including multispectral cameras carried by UAVs as well as fielded gas and radiation sensors. In 2019-2022, he was the principal investigator of POR-FESR project POSITIVE (www.progettopositive.it) aiming at investigating the potential of satellite-based imagery for precision irrigation, whose results have deployed and demonstrated in 2021-2022. In 2023-2026 he has coordinated a research unit funded by the Agritech national center (created by PNRR). The unit has developed new IoT-based solutions for low-cost soil moisture monitoring and sensor calibration, as well as advanced robotic solutions for delicate tomato harvesting. These solutions have been selected by the Agritech center for national exhibits and further development. Ongoing projects include project CASA at the Department of Veterinary Science, investigating integration of satellite and proximity sensors for mutual calibration, and project STREAM2B at CIDEA, with advanced monitoring techniques (multispectral camera and proximity sensor) for optimized cropping of basil.
Additional research projects supervised in the last 15 years:
VAALID - Accessibility and Usability Validation Framework for AAL Interaction Design Process (FP7 project, 2008-2011). Principal investigator for the University of Parma.
MARIS - Marine Autonomous Robotics for Intervention (PRIN 2013-2016): project funded by the Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research where the RIMLab team was tasked with the goal of developing a reliable underwater vision system supporting underwater navigation and pipe manipulation.
SIRO & SIMON (2013-2018)
AGV navigation based on environment perception: in cooperation with local industries based on Regional funds.
XDrone (2014-2017)
Flagship project funded by the Italian National Research Council (CNR) aiming at development of small remotely piloted aerial vehicle carrying a miniaturized Gamma sensor for radiation detection. The aerial vehicle was piloted via a haptic interface for faster detection and localization of radiating items. In the frame of this project, a novel haptics and sensor-driven vehicle guidance technique has been patented in Italy and US.
ROMOR (2016-2019) http://romor.iugaza.edu.ps/romor/
Erasmus+ Capacity Building project. Development of institutional research repositories in four Palestinian universities and training of Palestinian students, staff and researchers on Open Science issues.
Stefano Caselli has served in program or organizing committees for several scientific conferences, including editions of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation and the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. He is member of the IEEE and ACM research organizations.
Personal statement:
I enjoy lecturing in classroom, advise students, oversee their cultural and professional growth, before and after their graduation. I promote placement of ICT engineering graduates in local firms to cater local development.
Starting from a long-standing research interest in robotics and machine intelligence, in the last decade I have been involved in the challenges of modern Agriculture 4.0, including its quest for smart, sensor-driven irrigation equipment optimizing water usage.
Looking at research from a broader perspective, I now enjoy promoting projects with immediate or long-term impact and benefits on communities and human development.
