Designing Collaborative Autonomy: Challenges and Opportunities Across Agricultural and Forestry Systems

Karl Kruusamäe is an Associate Professor of Robotics Engineering at the University of Tartu, Estonia. He earned his PhD in 2012 from the University of Tartu and has enhanced his expertise through international research positions at AIST (Japan) and the University of Texas at Austin (USA).

Dr. Kruusamäe specializes in human-centered robotics, with particular focus on human-robot collaboration, multi-robot coordination, and open-source hardware development. His research bridges the gap between autonomous systems and human operators, exploring how these technologies can complement rather than replace human capabilities.

With more than 60 peer-reviewed scientific publications, he has made significant contributions to the field of collaborative robotics. Dr. Kruusamäe has led and contributed to dozens of international and national robotics projects, translating cutting-edge research into practical applications across multiple domains.

Beyond his research, he is passionately dedicated to popularizing robotics and advancing engineering education, working to inspire the next generation of robotics engineers and researchers.