Pedro Neto

About

Pedro Neto is a prominent researcher whose work sits at the intersection of human-robot interaction, industrial robot programming, and advanced manufacturing processes. Based at the University of Coimbra, his research has profoundly shaped how humans collaborate with and control robotic systems in industrial environments. Neto's most influential contributions address the challenge of making robot programming more intuitive and accessible. His early work on accelerometer-based robot control (2009, 101 citations) and CAD-based off-line programming (2010, 79 citations; 2013, 116 citations) replaced cumbersome traditional teach-pendant methods with more natural, efficient interfaces. This thread culminates in his highly cited work on gesture-based human-robot interaction (2018, 161 citations) and real-time hand gesture recognition using neural networks (2013, 73 citations), demonstrating a sustained commitment to seamless human-machine communication. His research also tackles critical safety challenges, with notable contributions to collision avoidance and minimum distance calculation for safe human-robot collaboration (2019, 107 and 95 citations respectively). Complementing this, Neto has made significant advances in friction stir welding of polymeric materials and robotic welding platforms (2014–2015, collectively over 275 citations). With over 1,000 citations across his top works, Neto's research continues to drive meaningful progress in collaborative robotics and smart manufacturing.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Gesture-based human-robot interaction for human assistance in manufacturing

   161 citations · 2018
2. 2
   Machines and control systems for friction stir welding: A review

   124 citations · 2015
3. 3
   Direct off-line robot programming via a common CAD package

   116 citations · 2013
4. 4
   On-line collision avoidance for collaborative robot manipulators by adjusting off-line generated paths: An industrial use case

   107 citations · 2019
5. 5
   Accelerometer-based control of an industrial robotic arm

   101 citations · 2009
6. 6
   Minimum distance calculation using laser scanner and IMUs for safe human-robot interaction

   95 citations · 2019
7. 7
   Morphology and strength of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene welds performed by robotic friction stir welding

   80 citations · 2014
8. 8
   CAD-based off-line robot programming

   79 citations · 2010
9. 9
   Real-time and continuous hand gesture spotting: An approach based on artificial neural networks

   73 citations · 2013
10. 10
    A novel friction stir welding robotic platform: welding polymeric materials

    72 citations · 2014

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links