IEEE/RSJ IROS 2024
2024
Best Agri-Robotics Paper Award Finalist
For “Vinymap: A Vineyard Inspection and 3D Reconstruction Framework for Agricultural Robots.”
Robotics researcher & engineer · Legged and field robots
Perception, motion planning, and control for legged and field robots, from high-fidelity simulation to real-world deployment in agriculture, inspection, and industry.
HERON – Hellenic Robotics Center of Excellence.
Perception, motion planning, and control for legged robots.
Best Agri-Robotics Paper finalist at IROS 2024; Best Paper finalist at AIM 2023; Second Prize at CLAWAR 2020.
Plus refereed abstracts, theses, and 3 invited talks and seminars.
Recent research and engineering, from legged locomotion to field and industrial robotics.
2020–2025
Legged locomotion
Trotting controllers for the Laelaps II quadruped that combine deep reinforcement learning with toe-level trajectory planning, tested in Gazebo on slopes up to 15°. A companion study compared DDPG, PPO and SAC; later work added a Cost of Transport reward for energy-efficient trotting in MuJoCo.
Second Prize Award — CLAWAR 2020
Paper (IROS 2020) Video (IROS 2020) Paper (CLAWAR 2020) Video (CLAWAR 2020) Paper (CLAWAR 2022) Abstract (Greeks in AI 2025)
2024
Agricultural robotics
A vineyard inspection framework for a robot with three stereo cameras, combining autonomous navigation, high-fidelity 3D reconstruction and canopy growth assessment, tested in NTUA’s synthetic vineyard. Its multi-camera visual SLAM uses AprilTag loop closure and stays robust when one camera’s view is largely blocked.
Best Agri-Robotics Paper Award Finalist — IROS 2024
2022–2024
Robotic harvesting
A low-cost gantry robot for existing mushroom-farm shelves: a 360° scanning RGB-D camera, YOLOv5 detection and model-fitting pose estimation, plus visual servoing, align a gripper with each mushroom’s angle of attack. Tested with 3D-printed mushrooms on real soil, within the EU-funded SoftGrip project.
Best Paper Award Finalist — AIM 2023
Paper (AIM 2023) DOI (AIM 2023) Poster (ICRA 2022 workshop) Related: SoftGrip (ERF 2024)
2023–2026
Navigation & inspection
Autonomous navigation and inspection: a local ESDF map that scales with vehicle speed for real-time replanning without GPS, collision-free UAV swarm coverage for disaster response, the ENORASI robot for extra-high-voltage substations, and in-pipe visual-inertial odometry that sprays its own fluorescent landmarks, eliminating tracking failures.
Paper (IEEE Access 2026) Related: Robotics 2025 Related: MED 2025 (arXiv) Related: ISGT Europe 2025 Related: ICCAIRO 2023
2025
Industrial AI
Two AI-guided robotic systems: dual-energy X-ray imaging with YOLO and U-Net models that flag battery-containing e-waste for a Delta robot to pick off a moving conveyor, and a two-cobot cell detecting surface and thread defects on aluminum die-cast automotive parts in real time.
Paper: WEEE sorting (AIM 2025) Paper: automotive QC (AIM 2025)
2019–2025
Gait analysis
Low-cost alternatives to marker-based motion capture for gait analysis: OpenPose limb measurement, deep-learning 3D human mesh reconstruction from multiple RGB cameras with simulation-guided camera placement, and a minimal 2D human model estimating joint angles, torques and ground reaction forces from a stereo camera.
Paper (BIBE 2025) Paper (Humanoids 2024) Paper (ICIPCW 2023) Extended abstract (ECCOMAS 2019)
Research, software engineering, delivery leadership, and applied robotics roles across academia and industry.
Nov 2025 - Present
HERON - Hellenic Robotics Center Of Excellence
Perception and motion planning for legged robots.
Jan 2024 - Dec 2025
Jan 2021 - Dec 2025
Tech Hive Labs
Managing and overseeing full project lifecycles to ensure timely and efficient delivery of robotics and AI-driven solutions:
Dec 2019 - Feb 2021
May 2018 - Dec 2019
2014 - Present
Projects:
Paper awards, invited talks, and media coverage.
2024
Best Agri-Robotics Paper Award Finalist
For “Vinymap: A Vineyard Inspection and 3D Reconstruction Framework for Agricultural Robots.”
2023
Best Paper Award Finalist
For “Low-Cost, Accurate Robotic Harvesting System for Existing Mushroom Farms.”
2020
Second Prize Award
For “Evaluating Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithms for Quadrupedal Slope Handling.”
Papadopoulos, E., Smyrli, A., and Mastrogeorgiou, A., “Legged Robots: The Next Steps Towards Agile Mobility,” 1st HERON Summer School in Robotics and AI, Eugenides Foundation, Athens, Greece, Jun. 30, 2026. Plenary talk
Mastrogeorgiou, A., “Computer Vision for Automatized Harvesting,” IEEE ICRA 2024 Workshop on Advancing Sustainable Food Systems through Agri-Robotics Innovations, Yokohama, Japan, May 13, 2024. Invited talk
Mastrogeorgiou, A. and Smyrli, A., “Markerless Motion Analysis,” ESMAC 2023 Annual Meeting, Athens, Greece, Sep. 19, 2023. Pre-conference seminar
Κόντη, Δ., «Τα ελληνικά ρομπότ που θέλουν να κατακτήσουν το Διάστημα», Η Καθημερινή, 13 Σεπτεμβρίου 2026.
Καραϊσκάκη, Τ., «Ρομπότ με αντίληψη, το στοίχημα στο ΕΜΠ», Η Καθημερινή, σελ. 8, 22 Ιανουαρίου 2020.
Παρασκευοπούλου, Α., «Βραδιά Ερευνητή 2019», ΕΡΤ1, Δελτίο Ειδήσεων στις 9, 27 Σεπτεμβρίου 2019.
Παπαδόπουλος, Ε., Μαχαιράς, Κ., Κουτσούκης, Κ., Μαστρογεωργίου, Α., Μακροδημήτρης, Μ., Σωτηρόπουλος, Μ. και Βάλβης, Ι., «Ρομποτικά συστήματα με έμπνευση από τη φύση», Μετάδοση Ισχύος, τεύχ. 224, σελ. 34–37, Νοέμβριος–Δεκέμβριος 2018.
Journal articles, conference papers, abstracts, and theses on legged locomotion, gait analysis, agricultural and inspection robotics, and robot perception.
Geladaris, A., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Simatos, O., Poulakakis, I., Sfakiotakis, M., and Polygerinos, P., “Artificial Feature Generation and Optimal IMU Placement for VIO in Pipeline Inspection Robots,” IEEE Access, vol. 14, pp. 115469–115479, 2026, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2026.3716363.
Geladaris, A., Papakostas, L., Mastrogeorgiou, A., and Polygerinos, P., “Exploiting a Variable-Sized Map and Vicinity-Based Memory for Dynamic Real-Time Planning of Autonomous Robots,” Robotics, vol. 14, no. 4, art. no. 44, 2025, doi: 10.3390/robotics14040044.
Stavrakakis, O., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Smyrli, A., and Papadopoulos, E., “Guidelines for Optimal Human Mesh Generation Using Deep Learning-Driven Avatar Reconstruction for Gait Analysis,” in Proc. 2024 IEEE-RAS 23rd International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids), Nancy, France, Nov. 22–24, 2024, pp. 787–794, doi: 10.1109/Humanoids58906.2024.10769832.
Zarras, I., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Machairas, K., Koutsoukis, K., and Papadopoulos, E., “Vinymap: A Vineyard Inspection and 3D Reconstruction Framework for Agricultural Robots,” in Proc. 2024 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Abu Dhabi, UAE, Oct. 14–18, 2024, pp. 1812–1817, doi: 10.1109/IROS58592.2024.10801409. Best Agri-Robotics Paper Award Finalist
Mavridis, P., Mavrikis, N., Mastrogeorgiou, A., and Chatzakos, P., “Low-Cost, Accurate Robotic Harvesting System for Existing Mushroom Farms,” in Proc. 2023 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), Seattle, WA, USA, Jun. 28–30, 2023, pp. 144–149, doi: 10.1109/AIM46323.2023.10196219. Best Paper Award Finalist
Mastrogeorgiou, A., Papatheodorou, A., Koutsoukis, K., and Papadopoulos, E., “Learning Energy-Efficient Trotting for Legged Robots,” Robotics in Natural Settings, Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol. 530, Springer, 2022, pp. 204–215, doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-15226-9_21.
Mastrogeorgiou, A., Elbahrawy, Y., Kecskeméthy, A., and Papadopoulos, E., “Slope Handling for Quadruped Robots Using Deep Reinforcement Learning and Toe Trajectory Planning,” in Proc. 2020 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Las Vegas, NV, USA (virtual), Oct. 24, 2020–Jan. 24, 2021, pp. 3777–3782, doi: 10.1109/IROS45743.2020.9341645.
Mastrogeorgiou, A., Elbahrawy, Y., Machairas, K., Kecskeméthy, A., and Papadopoulos, E., “Evaluating Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithms for Quadrupedal Slope Handling,” in Robots in Human Life: Proc. 23rd International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots and the Support Technologies for Mobile Machines (CLAWAR 2020), Moscow, Russia (virtual), Aug. 24–26, 2020, pp. 345–352, doi: 10.13180/clawar.2020.24-26.08.58. Second Prize Award
Geladaris, A., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Simatos, O., Poulakakis, I., Sfakiotakis, M., and Polygerinos, P., “Artificial Feature Generation and Optimal IMU Placement for VIO in Pipeline Inspection Robots,” IEEE Access, vol. 14, pp. 115469–115479, 2026, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2026.3716363.
Geladaris, A., Papakostas, L., Mastrogeorgiou, A., and Polygerinos, P., “Exploiting a Variable-Sized Map and Vicinity-Based Memory for Dynamic Real-Time Planning of Autonomous Robots,” Robotics, vol. 14, no. 4, art. no. 44, 2025, doi: 10.3390/robotics14040044.
Mastrogeorgiou, A., Papatheodorou, A., Koutsoukis, K., and Papadopoulos, E., “Learning Energy-Efficient Trotting for Legged Robots,” Robotics in Natural Settings, Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol. 530, Springer, 2022, pp. 204–215, doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-15226-9_21.
Tsintzira, K., Smyrli, A., Mastrogeorgiou, A., and Papadopoulos, E., “Low-Cost Markerless Gait Analysis Using a Minimal Human Model,” in Proc. 2025 IEEE 25th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE), Athens, Greece, Nov. 6–8, 2025, pp. 558–562, doi: 10.1109/BIBE66822.2025.00099.
Moustris, G., Flessa, T., Mermigkas, P., Alamanos, I., Kardaris, N., Vatistas, A., Tzafestas, C., Maragos, P., Bonias, G., Skembris, A., Geladaris, A., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Rong, J., Bagiokos, P., Makrygiorgou, D., Panidis, S., and Melissaris, D., “An Autonomous Inspection Robot for Extra-High Voltage Substations,” in Proc. 2025 IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference Europe (ISGT Europe), Valletta, Malta, Oct. 20–23, 2025, pp. 1–5, doi: 10.1109/ISGTEurope64741.2025.11305645.
Moraiti, P., Giannikos, P., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Mavridis, P., Zhou, L., and Chatzakos, P., “A Comprehensive Framework for Automated Quality Control in the Automotive Industry,” in Proc. 2025 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), Hangzhou, China, Jul. 14–18, 2025, pp. 1–8, doi: 10.1109/AIM64088.2025.11175711.
Giannikos, P., Papakostas, L., Katralis, E., Mavridis, P., Chryssinas, G., Inglezou, M., Panagopoulos, N., Porichis, A., Mastrogeorgiou, A., and Chatzakos, P., “An Integrated System for WEEE Sorting Employing X-Ray Imaging, AI-Based Object Detection and Segmentation, and Delta Robot Manipulation,” in Proc. 2025 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), Hangzhou, China, Jul. 14–18, 2025, pp. 1–8, doi: 10.1109/AIM64088.2025.11175846.
Papakostas, L., Geladaris, A., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Sharples, J., Hattenberger, G., Chatzakos, P., and Polygerinos, P., “Optimized Area Coverage in Disaster Response Utilizing Autonomous UAV Swarm Formations,” in Proc. 2025 33rd Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED), Tangier, Morocco, Jun. 10–13, 2025, pp. 630–635, doi: 10.1109/MED64031.2025.11073337.
Stavrakakis, O., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Smyrli, A., and Papadopoulos, E., “Guidelines for Optimal Human Mesh Generation Using Deep Learning-Driven Avatar Reconstruction for Gait Analysis,” in Proc. 2024 IEEE-RAS 23rd International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids), Nancy, France, Nov. 22–24, 2024, pp. 787–794, doi: 10.1109/Humanoids58906.2024.10769832.
Zarras, I., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Machairas, K., Koutsoukis, K., and Papadopoulos, E., “Vinymap: A Vineyard Inspection and 3D Reconstruction Framework for Agricultural Robots,” in Proc. 2024 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Abu Dhabi, UAE, Oct. 14–18, 2024, pp. 1812–1817, doi: 10.1109/IROS58592.2024.10801409. Best Agri-Robotics Paper Award Finalist
Kokas, C., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Machairas, K., Koutsoukis, K., and Papadopoulos, E., “Multicamera Visual SLAM for Vineyard Inspection,” in Proc. 2024 32nd Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED), Chania, Crete, Greece, Jun. 11–14, 2024, pp. 75–80, doi: 10.1109/MED61351.2024.10566198.
Pagliarani, N., Tzafestas, C., Papadopoulos, E., Maragos, P., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Porichis, A., Grogan, H., Ehrhardt, R., and Cianchetti, M., “SoftGrip: Towards a Soft Robotic Platform for Automatized Mushroom Harvesting,” in Proc. European Robotics Forum 2024 (ERF), Springer Proceedings in Advanced Robotics, Rimini, Italy, Mar. 13–15, 2024, pp. 48–52, doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-76424-0_9.
Stavrakakis, O., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Smyrli, A., and Papadopoulos, E., “Gait Analysis with Trinocular Computer Vision Using Deep Learning,” in Proc. 2023 IEEE International Conference on Image Processing Challenges and Workshops (ICIPCW), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Oct. 8–11, 2023, pp. 3702–3706, doi: 10.1109/ICIPC59416.2023.10328370.
Mavridis, P., Mavrikis, N., Mastrogeorgiou, A., and Chatzakos, P., “Low-Cost, Accurate Robotic Harvesting System for Existing Mushroom Farms,” in Proc. 2023 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), Seattle, WA, USA, Jun. 28–30, 2023, pp. 144–149, doi: 10.1109/AIM46323.2023.10196219. Best Paper Award Finalist
Geladaris, A., Papakostas, L., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Sfakiotakis, M., and Polygerinos, P., “Real-Time Local Map Generation and Collision-Free Trajectory Planning for Autonomous Vehicles in Dynamic Environments,” in Proc. 2023 International Conference on Control, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics & Optimization (ICCAIRO), Ierapetra, Crete, Greece, Apr. 11–13, 2023, pp. 1–6, doi: 10.1109/ICCAIRO58903.2023.00009.
Mastrogeorgiou, A., Elbahrawy, Y., Kecskeméthy, A., and Papadopoulos, E., “Slope Handling for Quadruped Robots Using Deep Reinforcement Learning and Toe Trajectory Planning,” in Proc. 2020 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Las Vegas, NV, USA (virtual), Oct. 24, 2020–Jan. 24, 2021, pp. 3777–3782, doi: 10.1109/IROS45743.2020.9341645.
Mastrogeorgiou, A., Elbahrawy, Y., Machairas, K., Kecskeméthy, A., and Papadopoulos, E., “Evaluating Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithms for Quadrupedal Slope Handling,” in Robots in Human Life: Proc. 23rd International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots and the Support Technologies for Mobile Machines (CLAWAR 2020), Moscow, Russia (virtual), Aug. 24–26, 2020, pp. 345–352, doi: 10.13180/clawar.2020.24-26.08.58. Second Prize Award
Bolanakis, G., Machairas, K., Koutsoukis, K., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Loupis, M., and Papadopoulos, E., “Automating Loading and Locking of New Generation Air-Cargo Containers,” in Proc. 9th EASN International Conference on Innovation in Aviation & Space, Athens, Greece, Sep. 3–6, 2019, MATEC Web of Conferences, vol. 304, art. no. 04019, doi: 10.1051/matecconf/201930404019.
Mastrogeorgiou, A., Papatheodorou, A., Koutsoukis, K., Machairas, K., and Papadopoulos, E., “Learning Energy Efficient Trotting for Legged Robots,” Greeks in AI 2025 Symposium, Athens, Greece, Jul. 19–20, 2025. Refereed abstract
Stavrakakis, O., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Smyrli, A., and Papadopoulos, E., “Guidelines for Optimal Mesh Generation Using Deep Learning-Driven Avatar Reconstruction for Gait Analysis,” Greeks in AI 2025 Symposium, Athens, Greece, Jul. 19–20, 2025. Refereed abstract
Mavridis, P., Mastrogeorgiou, A., and Chatzakos, P., “Mushroom Detection and Pose Estimation Using Instance Segmentation and Model Fitting,” ICRA 2022 Workshop on Agricultural Robotics and Automation, Philadelphia, PA, USA, May 27, 2022. Poster
Papatheodorou, A., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Machairas, K., Koutsoukis, K., and Papadopoulos, E., “Middleware Interconnecting ROS/ROS2 with the EtherCAT Protocol,” ROS World 2021, virtual, Oct. 20–21, 2021. Talk
Papatheodorou, A., Mastrogeorgiou, A., Machairas, K., Koutsoukis, K., and Papadopoulos, E., “EtherCAT Master for Laelaps II Quadruped,” ROS World 2020, virtual, Nov. 12, 2020. Lightning talk
Mastrogeorgiou, A., Smyrli, A., Papadopoulos, E., Kecskeméthy, A., and Gegenbauer, S., “Application of OpenPose Deep Learning Algorithm for Gait Parameter Identification,” ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Multibody Dynamics, Duisburg, Germany, Jul. 15–18, 2019. Extended abstract
Mastrogeorgiou, A., Koutsoukis, K., and Machairas, K., “Towards a Controller for Quadrupedal Locomotion on Compliant Terrains,” Dynamic Walking Conference 2018, Pensacola, FL, USA, May 21–24, 2018. Talk
Mastrogeorgiou, A. and Papadopoulos, E., “Towards an Enhanced Controller for Slope Climbing,” ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Multibody Dynamics, Barcelona, Spain, Jun. 29–Jul. 2, 2015. Abstract-refereed paper
Mastrogeorgiou, A., “Evaluation of the Webots Robot Simulation Environment During Quadruped Robot Motions, and Comparison with Alternative Software,” MSc thesis, Interdepartmental Program of Postgraduate Studies in Automation, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece, 2013. Supervisor: E. G. Papadopoulos.
Mastrogeorgiou, A., “Learning Bipedal Locomotion Using Finite State Machines,” MSc thesis, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK, 2009. Supervisor: I. Havoutis.
Mastrogeorgiou, A., “Autonomous Robot Navigation Within the Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio Simulation Environment,” BSc thesis, Department of Applied Informatics, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2008. Supervisor: D. Hristu-Varsakelis.
Research, engineering, and academic work in robotics and AI.
Athanasios (Thanasis) Mastrogeorgiou is a robotics researcher who takes algorithms from high-fidelity simulation to robust field deployments in agriculture, healthcare logistics, energy infrastructure, and industrial automation.
He is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechatronics at the Control Systems Laboratory of NTUA, supervised by Prof. Evangelos G. Papadopoulos, working on perception and motion planning for legged robots: reinforcement-learning-based control, multi-camera SLAM, and gait analysis.
His work was a Best Agri-Robotics Paper finalist at IEEE/RSJ IROS 2024, a Best Paper finalist at IEEE/ASME AIM 2023, and received Second Prize at CLAWAR 2020.
2016 - Present
National Technical University of Athens, Athens (Greece)
Robotics: Perception, motion planning and control for biomimetic legged robots.
2011 - 2013
National Technical University of Athens, Athens (Greece)
Dissertation Title: Evaluation of the Webots robot simulation environment during quadruped robot motions, and comparison with alternative software.
2008 - 2009
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
Dissertation Title: Learning Bipedal Locomotion Using Finite State Machines.
2003 - 2008
University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki (Greece)
Dissertation Title: Autonomous Robot Navigation Within The Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio Simulation Environment.
Levels per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Volunteering and life outside the lab.
2011
Worked voluntarily in the Hellenic Post Office of Hydra during the summer season. This was part of the Hellenic Ministry of Transport and Communications “Holidays and volunteering” program.
2017
Teaching Computer Essentials at the Association for the Social Support of Youth (ARSIS). ARSIS is a Non Governmental Organization, specializing in the social support of youth that are in difficulty or danger and in the advocacy of their rights.