More Than Just Code: The Hidden Skills Behind Successful Robotics Research
What does the future of autonomous systems look like, and how can researchers bridge the gap between algorithmic precision and the unpredictability of the real world?
These questions were at the heart of a compelling event hosted by the Department of Computer Science at Anatolia American University on Friday, March 13, 2026. The department had the pleasure of welcoming two distinguished guest speakers, Dr. Angelos Amanatiadis and Dr. Athanasios Kapoutsis, who shared insights from their research at the forefront of artificial intelligence, robotics, and intelligent transportation systems.
Together, the two presentations offered a rich “top-down, bottom-up” perspective on autonomy — from the practical challenges of self-driving vehicles to the mathematical foundations of multi-robot coordination.
The Road to Autonomy: Research Skills and Technical Hurdles
Dr. Angelos Amanatiadis, Associate Professor in the Department of Production and Management Engineering at Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), opened the event by presenting the Hellenic Autonomous Vehicle (HAV) project, an ambitious initiative aimed at developing Greece’s first fully functional Level 3 self-driving vehicle.
His presentation demonstrated how the HAV team has integrated a sophisticated software stack for real-time perception, planning, and control, combining high-definition maps, advanced sensor systems, and significant on-board computational power. Through this work, the project brings theory closer to real-world implementation.
Dr. Amanatiadis also addressed one of the most critical obstacles in the path toward full autonomy: edge cases — the rare, unpredictable scenarios that challenge even the most advanced autonomous systems. He explained how current research is exploring the next frontier through the use of Large Language Models (LLMs), including the team’s DriveGPT architecture, in an effort to better handle complex situations and ethical dilemmas that cannot be fully anticipated through traditional programming alone.
Mobile Robot Intelligence: From Offline Planning to Continuous Learning
The second part of the event shifted attention to the algorithmic foundations of intelligent systems. Dr. Athanasios Kapoutsis, Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at DUTH, introduced the work of AURA LAB, which focuses on redefining how autonomous systems operate by bridging the gap between mathematically optimal offline planning and adaptive, real-time online learning.
Dr. Kapoutsis presented several of the lab’s research frameworks, including the DARP algorithm for guaranteed multi-robot coverage and the BCD-CAO framework for distributed coordination in unknown environments. He also highlighted OverFOMO (Optimal Execution via Fast Online Modulations), a hybrid methodology that allows a robot to begin with an optimal plan and then dynamically adjust its execution in response to unexpected environmental changes.
AURA LAB’s contribution extends beyond theory and experimentation. The lab is also committed to supporting the wider robotics community through an extensive open-source ecosystem of simulators and datasets, helping to strengthen reproducibility and accelerate research progress in the field.
A Shared Vision for the Future of Autonomous Systems
Although the two talks approached autonomy from different angles — one focusing on self-driving vehicles and the other on coordinated robotic systems — together they highlighted a shared vision for the future of intelligent technologies.
The development of autonomous systems requires both the robust, high-level reasoning described by Dr. Amanatiadis and the mathematically grounded, adaptive planning explored by Dr. Kapoutsis. Collectively, their work points toward autonomous technologies that are not only more advanced, but also safer, more flexible, and better equipped to navigate the complexity of real-world environments.
The Department of Computer Science thanks both speakers for their insightful presentations and looks forward to the continued impact of their research.
