Professor

Erik Kyrkjebø

Department of Computer science, Electrical engineering and Mathematical sciences
Erik Kyrkjebø
Tel: +47 57 67 62 85
Email: Send email
Førde
HB, H-2058
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Field of work

Professor Erik Kyrkjebø is a robotics researcher and scholar in engineering cybernetics. His research interests span from modelling and motion control of mechanical systems, with a particular interest in robotics and maritime vehicles, to student-active online learning methods in engineering. His current focus is on physical Human-Robot Interaction and Cooperation: How can we estimate human motions and intentions to aid in the physical cooperation with robots? How can we control the physical interaction between robots and humans to allow for role-switching between leaders and followers? How can the robot learn a cooperative behaviour in a physical human-robot interaction? He currently supervises three PhD-students on these subjects.

He is currently the PI of the 4.5 M€ Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane-project financed by the Research Council of Norway and other partners. The project has the ambition to double the industry-relevant research activity in the region Sogn og Fjordane through building and strengthening the research groups in Robotics at HVL and Big Data at the partner Vestlandsforsking. He is also involved in other externally funded research project on collaborative robots for AGVs (CoBotAGV) and robotic handling of surgical instruments (FoT). He is currently the head of the research group on Robotics at HVL.

Professor Kyrkjebø is the author of more than 30 scientific papers on modelling, motion control, and reinforcement learning for robots and martitime vehicles. He has been the PI of several externally funded robotics projects at HVL, and was during his 10 years as a researcher, research leader and senior scientist at SINTEF the PI of numerous projects and proposal toghether with industry partners such as Statoil (now Equinor), ABB and Elkem, and participated in several international research projects.  

Selected information from his Curriculum Vitae:

Education:

  • 2007 PhD, Dept. of Engineering Cybernetics, NTNU
  • 2000 Master/Siv.ing, Dept. of Engineering Cybernetics, NTNU
  • 1998 Bachelor, Dept. of Control Engineering, Sogn og Fjordane University College (HiSF)

Current and previous positions:

  • 2024- Professor, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), Norway
  • 2018-2024 Associate Professor, HVL, Norway
  • 2018-2019 Vice-Dean of Research, Faculty of Engineering and Science, HVL, Norway
  • 2011-2017 Vice-rector of R&D, HiSF/HVL 2009- Senior Research Scientist (adjunct position) Applied Cybernetics, SINTEF
  • 2011-2011 Dean, Dept. of Engineering and Science, HiSF
  • 2007-2011 Research Manager Motion Control, SINTEF
  • 2003-2006 PhD-scholar, NTNU
  • 2001-2003 Research Scientist, SINTEF

Mobility:

  • 2005-2005 Marie Curie Fellowship, CNRS, Paris, France (8 months)

Supervision of graduate students and research fellows:

  • 2023- Main supervisor for PhD candidate in System engineering for Future Rasperberry production systems in Western Norway
  • 2018- Main supervisor of two PhD candidates in physical Human-Robot Interaction at HVL
  • 2021- Co-supervising a PhD candidate on Deep Reinforcement Learning for Soft Robots
  • 2001-2016 Co-adviced 2 PhD-students and more than 20 Master Students, Dept. of Engineering Cybernetics, NTNU, Norway

Member of committees:

  • 2022- Deputy member of PhD programme committee in Computer Science, HVL
  • 2018-2022 Member of PhD programme committee in Computer Science, HVL
  • 2018-2019 Head of the Committee on Research and Innovation at the Faculty of Engineering and Science, HVL
  • 2018-2019 Member of Research and Innovation Committee, HVL
  • 2018-2019 Member of the PhD committee, HVL
  • 2014 Served as 2nd opponent for the PhD-defence of Espen Oland, NTNU, Norway
  • 2014-2017 Head of the Committee on Research Ethics, SFUC/HVL, Norway.
  • 2011-2017 Head of the Committee on Research and Development, SFUC, Norway.

Commissions of trust:

  • 2024- Board member, Stiftinga Vestlandsforsking, Norway
  • 2020-2023 Board member, Stiftinga Vestlandsforsking, Norway
  • 2020-2023 Deputy board member, Regionalt forskingsfond, Vestland, Norway
  • 2018-2020 Deputy board member, Sogn og Fjordane Vitensenter, Norway
  • 2015-2020 Deputy board member, Stiftinga Vestlandsforsking, Norway
  • 2014-2017 Board member, IT-forum Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
  • 2013-2017 Board member, Sogn og Fjordane Science Park, Norway
  • 2014-2015 Deputy board member, Sogn Næring, Norway

Memberships of academic societies:

  • 2017- Member ACM
  • 2015- Member IEEE
  • 2003-2007 Member IEEE

Major industrial research and innovation projects:

  • 2023-2027 HVL Robotics Lab, Sparebankstiftinga Sogn og Fjordane, Head of research centre, 25 MNOK (2,5 M€)
  • 2023-2026 HVL, FutuRaPS – Future of Raspberry Production System in Western Norway, Research Council of Norway (RCN), Co-Investigator, 16 MNOK (1,6 M€)
  • 2022-2025 Nortura, DigiSpek – Digital and continuously learning dry cured sausage process, RCN, Participant, 33 MNOK (3,3 M€)
  • 2021 Retrams, Robotic handling of reusable surgical instruments, “Borrow-a-researcher”, RCN, Project leader (PI), 200 kNOK (20 k€)
  • 2020-2023 CoBotAGV, Research Council of Norway (RCN), Participant, 6 MNOK (600 k€)
  • 2018-2024 Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane, RCN, Project leader (PI), 45 MNOK (4,5 M€)
  • 2015-2016 Robotic Rehabilitation of Upper Limb After Stroke (WRESTLE), RCN, Project leader (PI), 1 MNOK (100 k€)
  • 2014-2019 RELEASE - project on local barriers for renewable energy, RCN, Project responsible, 25 MNOK (2,5 M€)
  • 2014-2018 ASK – the effect of physical activity on school performance, RCN, Project responsible, 30 MNOK (3 M€)
  • 2009-2011 Jupiter Robotics – Uncertainty and collision handling, ABB, Project leader
  • 2009-2011 Next Generation Robotics for Norwegian Industry, RCN, WP leader
  • 2009-2010 Stabilization of antenna, Jotron SatCom, Project leader
  • 2009-2011 Cognitive Robotics, Strategic project SINTEF, Project leader 
  • 2008-2011 Unmanned platform - inspection and maintenance of unmanned platforms, StatoilHydro, Project leader 
  • 2009-2009 Pipe-inspection with Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Strategic project SINTEF, Project leader 
  • 2008-2008 Unmanned Surface Vehicle control - analysis and verification of autopilot control system, Maritime Robotics, Project leader 
  • 2008-2008 Robot locomotion and sensor fusion for pipe inspection, Strategic Project SINTEF, WP leader of Locomotion
  • 2007-2007 From 3D-vision to Robot Navigation, Strategic Project SINTEF, WP leader of Navigation 
  • 2007-2007 Automation of anode replacement, Elkem Alu. Mosjøen, Project leader
  • 2007-2008 Motion Coordination Control, Scientific post. doc. project NTNU, Project leader
  • 2002-2003 Effective control and supervisory systems, Strategic project SINTEF, WP leader of Communication 
  • 2001-2003 HERO - Highly Advanced Coloration Methods: robot trajectory planning for high speed coloration of toys, EU, Project member
  • 2001-2002 LADDE - motion estimation for medical classification for diagnosis, St. Olavs Hospital, Project member
Courses taught
  • ELE 306 Robotics
  • DAT 160 Intelligent robotics
  • ING104 Introductory course - theme robotics
  • ADA527 Advanced Robot Control
Research areas
  • Robotics
  • Motion control
  • Motion modelling
  • physical Human-Robot Interaction
  • Cooperative control
  • Student-active online learning
  • Robot rehabilitation after stroke
Research groups

Publications

  • Exploring human-robot cooperation with gamified user training: a user study on cooperative lifting

    Venås, Gizem Ates, Stølen, Martin Fodstad, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2024)
    Frontiers in Robotics and AI 2024 Volum 10 ;

  • Comparing and Configuring Soft Tendon Designs for Variable Stiffness Actuators on a Robot Arm

    Elstner, Laurenz, Tirach, Raquel Motzfeldt, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Stølen, Martin F (2023)
    IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Isbn: 979-8-3503-3222-3. s. 0-0

  • Comparing and Configuring Soft Tendon Designs for Variable Stiffness Actuators on a Robot Arm

    Elstner, Laurenz, Tirach, Raquel Motzfeldt, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Stølen, Martin F (2023)

  • Profesjoner i samspill om utvikling av progresjonsmåling i hjerneslagrehabilitering

    Hovland, Runar Tengel, Svarstad, Jeanette, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2023)

  • Student Perspectives on Online Hybrid Learning in an Undergraduate Robotics Course

    (2023)

  • Student Perspectives on Online Hybrid Learning in an Undergraduate Robotics Course

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Stølen, Martin F (2023)

  • Programming Fine Manufacturing Tasks on Collaborative Robots: A Case Study on Industrial Gluing

    Schäle, Daniel, Stølen, Martin F, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2023)
    MIC Journal: Modeling, Identification and Control 2023 Volum 44 ;(4)s. 141-154

  • Design of a Gamified Training System for Human-Robot Cooperation

    Ates, Gizem, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2022)
    IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Isbn: 978-1-6654-7095-7

  • Force and Gesture-based Motion Control of Human-Robot Cooperative Lifting Using IMUs

    Ates, Gizem, Stølen, Martin F, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2022)
    IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Isbn: 978-1-5386-8554-9. s. 688-692

  • A Framework for Human Motion Estimation using IMUs in Human-Robot Interaction

    Ates, Gizem, Stølen, Martin, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2022)
    IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Isbn: 978-1-7281-1948-9

  • HVL Robotics Lab - ongoing research activities

    (2022)

  • Robotikk

    (2022)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane

    (2022)

  • Continuous and Incremental Learning in physical Human-Robot Cooperation using Probabilistic Movement Primitives

    Schäle, Daniel, Stølen, Martin Fodstad, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2022)
    IEEE conference proceedings. Isbn: 978-1-6654-0680-2

  • Human-Robot Cooperative Lifting Using IMUs and Human Gestures

    Ates, Gizem, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2021)
    Springer. Isbn: 978-3-030-89177-0

  • Human-Robot Cooperative Lifting Using IMUs and Human Gestures

    Ates, Gizem, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2021)
    Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) 2021

  • Det tar to å tango – ein robot og eit menneske

    (2021)

  • Human-robot cooperation for healthcare

    (2021)

  • Estimating Robot Body Torque for Two-Handed Cooperative Physical Human-Robot Interaction

    Møgster, Johannes, Stølen, Martin Fodstad, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2021)
    IEEE. Isbn: 978-1-6654-0492-1

  • Priors Inspired by Speed-Accuracy Trade-Offs for Incremental Learning of Probabilistic Movement Primitives

    Schäle, Daniel, Stølen, Martin Fodstad, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2021)
    Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) 2021

  • No har han flytta inn på rektorkontoret: – Det har vore hektisk, men no er eg klar

    Yttri, Gunnar, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Førde, Magnus Grotle (2021)

  • Challenges Associated with Sensors and Data Fusion for AGV-Driven Smart Manufacturing

    Ziebinski, Adam, Mrozek, Dariusz, Cupek, Rafal, Grzechca, Damian, Fojcik, Marcin, Drewniak, Marek, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Lin, Jerry Chun-Wei, Øvsthus, Knut, Biernacki, Piotr (2021)
    Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) 2021 Volum 12745 ;s. 595-608

  • Autonomous guided vehicles for smart industries - The state of the art and research challenges

    Cupek, Rafal, Drewniak, Marek, Fojcik, Marcin, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Lin, Jerry Chun-Wei, Mrozek, Dariusz, Øvsthus, Knut, Ziebinski, Adam (2020)
    Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) 2020 Volum 12141 ;s. 330-343

  • (Digital) kompetanse for arbeidslivet

    (2020)

  • A Guide to Student-active Online Learning in Engineering

    (2020)
    MIC Journal: Modeling, Identification and Control 2020 Volum 41 ;(2)s. 91-107

  • Høgskulestyret bomma på ballen

    (2020)
    Sogn Avis 2020

  • Langsiktige mål eller kortsiktige resultat - om forsking i og med næringslivet

    (2020)

  • Teknoløft - robotlæring

    (2020)

  • Teknoløft - teknologikompetanse for næringslivet

    (2020)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane - robot learning in industrial applications

    (2020)

  • Vil auke teknologikompetansen ved å låne ut ein robot til bedrifter

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Bøyum, Janne Merete (2020)

  • «Vi må plukke ein ny rektor frå øvste hylla»

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Lie, Tove, Strand, Hilde Kristin (2020)

  • Forskingsdagane Presentasjon

    Ates, Gizem, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2019)

  • Forskingsstand på Forskingsdagane

    Ates, Gizem, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2019)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane - kompetanse og rekruttering til teknologi

    (2019)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane - kompetanse og rekruttering til teknologi

    (2019)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane - teknologikompeatanse for næringslivet... og helsesektoren

    (2019)

  • Sissel tok over familiebedrifta og skaffa robot

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Skjelten, Peder (2019)

  • Flytta heim for å forske på robotar

    Bøyum, Janne Merete, Møgster, Johannes, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2018)

  • Inertial Human Motion Estimation for Physical Human-Robot Interaction Using an Interaction Velocity Update to Reduce Drift

    (2018)
    Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). Isbn: 978-1-4503-5615-2. s. 163-164

  • Kompetanse for framtida

    (2018)

  • TEKNOLØFT Sogn og Fjordane

    (2018)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane

    (2018)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane

    (2018)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane

    (2018)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane

    (2018)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane - Kompetanse for næringslivet

    (2018)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane - Næringsforum

    (2018)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane - Prosjektsamling Skei

    (2018)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane - eit kapasitetsløft

    (2018)

  • Teknoløft Sogn og Fjordane - eit kapasitetsløft

    (2018)

  • Feasibility of the UR5 Industrial Robot for Robotic Rehabilitation of the Upper Limbs After Stroke

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Laastad, Mads Johan, Stavdahl, Øyvind (2018)
    IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. Proceedings 2018s. 6124-6129

  • Presentation of Feasibility of the UR5 Industrial Robot for Robotic Rehabilitation of the Upper Limbs After Stroke

    Laastad, Mads Johan, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2018)

  • SFE skal utvikle teknologi i samarbeid med Vestlandsforsking

    Lothe, Jorid, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2018)

  • Tidenes julegåve: Får 30 millionar til å løfte fylket til nye teknologiske høgder

    Guddal, Silje Kristin, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2017)

  • Får 28 millionar i støtte til teknoløft

    Sortland, Morten, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2017)

  • Forskarane i Sogndal får 45 millionar til å løfta fram innovativ teknologi

    Storvik, Halvor, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2017)

  • Dynamic and kinematic observers for output coordination control of Euler-Lagrange systems: A comparison and applications

    (2015)
    MIC Journal: Modeling, Identification and Control 2015 Volum 36 ;(2)s. 103-118

  • Organizers of seminar: "Seminar om tverrfaglegheit"

    Walnum, Hans Jakob, Aall, Carlo, Skarbø, Kristine, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2014)

  • A Learning Camera Platform for Remote Operations with Industrial Manipulators

    Fjerdingen, Sigurd Aksnes, Bjerkeng, Magnus, Transeth, Aksel Andreas, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Røyrøy, Anders (2012)
    Elsevier. Isbn: 978-3-902661-99-9. s. 39-46

  • Stereographic projection for industrial manipulator tasks: Theory and experiments

    Bjerkeng, Magnus, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2011)
    IEEE conference proceedings. Isbn: 9781612844541. s. 4676-4683

  • Active camera control with obstacle avoidance for remote operations with industrial manipulators: Implementation and experimental results

    Bjerkeng, Magnus, Transeth, Aksel Andreas, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Fjerdingen, Sigrud Aksnes (2011)
    IEEE conference proceedings. Isbn: 9781612844541. s. 247-254

  • Safe Reinforcement Learning for Continuous Spaces through Lyapunov-Constrained Behavior

    Fjerdingen, Sigrud Aksnes, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2011)
    Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Applications 2011s. 70-79

  • AUV Pipeline Following using Reinforcement Learning

    Fjerdingen, Sigurd Aksnes, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Transeth, Aksel Andreas (2010)
    VDE Verlag GmbH. Isbn: 9783800732739. s. 310-317

  • Cognitive Challenges in Snake Robotics

    Transeth, Aksel Andreas, Liljeback, Pål, Fjerdingen, Sigurd Aksnes, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2010)

  • A Kinematic versus Dynamic Observer Approach to Coordination Control in terms of Estimation Principle and Practical Performance

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2009)

  • A Kinematicc versus Dynamic Observer Approach to Coordination Control in terms of Estimation Principle and Practical Performance

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2009)
    European Union Control Association. Isbn: 978-963-311-369-1

  • Adaptive Snake Robot Locomotion: A Benchmarking Facility for Experiments

    Fjerdingen, Sigrud Aksnes, Mathiassen, John Reidar, Schumann-Olsen, Henrik, Kyrkjebø, Erik (2008)
    Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics 2008s. 13-22

  • Autonomous Coordination of Surface Ships

    (2008)

  • Autonomous Coordination of Surface Ships

    (2008)

  • Operational space synchronization of two robot manipulators through a virtual velocity estimate

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2008)
    MIC Journal: Modeling, Identification and Control 2008 Volum 29 ;(2)s. 59-66

  • Motion Coordination of Mechanical Systems. Leader-Follower Synchronization of Euler-Lagrange Systems using Output Feedback Control

    (2007)
    Tapir Akademisk Forlag. Isbn: 978-82-471-1318-9

  • Leader-Follower output reference state feedback synchronization control of Euler-Lagrange systems

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2007)

  • Motion Coordination of Mechanical Systems. Leader-Follower Synchronization of Euler-Lagrange Systems using Output Feedback Control

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2007)

  • Operational space synchronization of two robot manipulators through a virtual velocity estimate

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2007)
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Decision & Control, including the Symposium on Adaptive Processes 2007s. 1052-1057

  • Operational space synchronization of two robot manipulators through a virtual velocity estimate

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2007)

  • Output Synchronization Control of Ship Replenishment Operations: Theory and Experiments

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad, Wondergem, Michiel, Nijmeijer, Henk (2007)
    Control Engineering Practice 2007 Volum 15 ;(6)s. 741-755

  • Koreografi for båt

    Tunstad, Hege Jørgensen, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Børhaug, Even, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2007)

  • Trajectory tracking, Path Following and Formation Control of Autonomous Marine Vehicles

    Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Børhaug, Even (2006)

  • A Virtual Vehicle Approach to Undeway Replenishment

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Panteley, Elena, Chaillet, Antoine, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2006)

  • A virtual vehicle approach to underway replenishment

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Panteley, Elena, Chaillet, Antoine, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2006)
    Lecture notes in control and information sciences 2006 Volum 336 ;s. 171-189

  • A Virtual Vehicle Approach to Output Synchronization Control

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2006)
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Decision & Control, including the Symposium on Adaptive Processes 2006s. 6016-6021

  • A Virtual Vehicle Approach to Output Synchronization Control

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2006)

  • Leader-follower Dynamic Synchronization of Surface Vessels

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2006)
    Elsevier IFAC Publications / IFAC Proceedings series 2006

  • Leader-follower Dynamic Synchronization of Surface Vessels

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2006)

  • Fartøy i flokk og formasjon

    Tunstad, Hege Jørgensen, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Børhaug, Even, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2006)

  • Fartøy i flokk og formasjon

    Tunstad, Hege Jørgensen, Kyrkjebø, Erik, Børhaug, Even, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2006)

  • Output synchronization control of Euler-Lagrange systems with nonlinear damping terms

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2005)
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Decision & Control, including the Symposium on Adaptive Processes 2005

  • Output synchronization control of Euler-Lagrange systems with nonlinear damping terms

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2005)

  • Trackin from a synchronization control perspective

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2005)

  • Experimental results on synchronization control of ship rendez-vous operations

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2004)

  • MVT: A Marine Visualization Toolbox for MATLAB®

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2004)

  • Ship Replenishment using Synchronization Control

    Kyrkjebø, Erik, Pettersen, Kristin Ytterstad (2003)