Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
I have over 30 years of experience on the full life cycle of mission critical, SW intensive computing systems. My most representative achievements are: a) Technical Coordination of self-funded Leonardo R&D projects (Leonardo Labs) on Command & Control of Squads of RASes (Robotic Autonomous Systems) based on Machine/Deep Learning. b) The coordination of a multinational team for reference system architecture of the future European soldier defined in the frame of GOSSRA (Generic Open Soldier System Reference Architecture) c) The specification and validation via demonstrator of a vehicle mission system based on the NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture (STANAG 4754); d) A product family based on the OMG (Object Management Group) Data Distribution Services (DDS) standards suite, which includes: • A multi-platform middleware, which provides for secure, QoS-sensitive Data Distribution Services; • A middleware for real-time cooperation & coordination among networked, autonomous vehicles; e) Virtual, Physical and Hybrid demonstrators for the adoption of Networked, Collaborative Autonomous Vehicles in Surveillance and Patrolling missions f) A hard real-time kernel based on the rate monotonic scheduling theory for on-board satellite platform, (ESA Project); g) A networking protocol suite for next generation satellite network with ATM-like on-board switching and dynamic bandwidth allocation (ESA Project); I have experience on coordination of international study groups, the most relevant being: (i) Chairman of the Civil Robotics Domain Topic Group of euRobotics the European Commission Public Private Participation, which shapes the future of robotics in Europe; (ii) Chairman of various NATO Study Groups of Swarm System for NATO missions; (iii) Italian Industry Member of NATO System Concepts & Integration (SCI) Panel; (iv) Active participation to NATO NGVA Working Groups on Data Infrastructure, Data Model and, Gateway, (v) Chairman of the IPT-4 Design Team for the NATO MIP WG. My current focuses are on (i) Open Interoperable Architecture for Agile Mission Systems, e.g., Network-centric Mission Systems, (ii) Collaborative Services for Swarm-based Operations, e.g., Symbiotic Human-Autonomy Teaming, and (iii) Secure, QoS-sensitive Data Exchange Services for heterogeneous networking infrastructures including fixed/mobile, and terrestrial/satellite physical networks.
As System Engineer of Air and Land Systems Line of Business I am currently in charge of the following tasks: • Since July 2021: I act as Chief Engineer of self-funded Leonardo R&D projects (Leonardo Labs) on Command & Control of Squads of RASes (Robotic Autonomous Systems) based on Machine/Deep Learning. The projects focus on the adoption of distributed Machine/Deep Learning applications for the provision of Trustworthy Squads of RASes for Swarm Operations. • Since January 2021: I act as specialist for the System Architecture of Data Exchange Services and Interoperability issues in a defense research project aiming at defining the reference architecture of a Strategic Mission System, which will be able to coordinate both military and civil missions of nations belonging to the European Community. • Since February 2021: I act as Italy National Industry member for the NATO System Concepts and Integration (SCI) panel. • Since March 2020: I act as key Italian technical person for the IPT-4 (Integrated Product Team - MIP 4) of NATO Multilateral Interoperability Programme (MIP). • I act as key technical person for Italian Land Vehicle(s) based on the NGVA Standard (STANAG 4754). Specifically, I am in charge of: (i) Specifying an innovative vehicular mission system, which is based on data-centric architecture as specified by the NATO Generic Vehicular Architecture (NGVA) STANAG 4754; (iii) Participating to NGVA working groups, with a focus on NGVA Data Infrastructure, and NGVA Data Model. In the NGVA Data Model WG, I am the principal editor of the greater part of chapter 5 “Data Model Development and Deployment”. I have also addressed the Interoperable Open Architecture issues for the European Dismounted Soldier Platform as responsible of the system design for the EDA (European Defense Agency) research project Generic Open Soldier System Generic Architecture (GOSSRA). Specifically, I personally addressed the Soldier-Soldier and Soldier - (NGVA) Vehicle interactions.
Sistemi Software Integrati has been embedded in Leonardo Company, my current main activity remain the technical management of the BEE Product Family.
I coordinate the Civil Robotics domain topic group of euRobotics aisbl (http://www.eu-robotics.net/), which is the European Commission Private Public Partnership (PPP) which aims (i) to promote excellence in robotics by networking opportunities from both industry and academia, (ii) to exchange knowledge within the robotics community and (iii) to shape the future of robotics in Europe through cooperation between both sides. The Civil Robotics Domain addresses dual use robotic systems whose typical applications are: Emergency/Disaster Management, Surveillance, Critical National Infrastructure Patrolling, and so on. I acted as chairman of a NATO RSM (Research Specialists Meeting) the SET-222 " Swarm centric solution for Intelligent Sensor Networks". My key tasks was the scientific coordination of a Workshop held in June 2016, e.g. define the workshop flyer and call of papers, set-up the technical committe, selected the papers and define the workshop agenda. I has been the chair of a NATO Resource Specialist Meeting on Swarm of Sensors, whose workshop held in June 2016, at a top level italian defense research centre in Rome. Currently I coordinate a NATO Study Group on "Swarm-centric Systems", which is a follow on of the previous workshop and includes key nations such as USA, France, Italy, etc. The study goal is the define a set of activities and goals for a three years joint research focusing on swarm-centric systems for NATO applications and future missions.
I managed the “Research & Development” department whose mission is the development of innovative products aimed at increasing SSI competitivess in markets and application segments, both legacy and emerging. As R&D Manager of the BEE Product Family, I perform the following main tasks: A. Proposal writing and Overall Technical Coordination of research projects which are based or contribute to the BEE Product Family, in the following the most relevant projects: • Italian Defence Reasearch Projects (Piano Nazionale Ricerca Militare – PNRM): o Sistema Adattativo Multirobot a Sue Applicazioni allo Sminamento (Multirobot Adaptive System for Demining Missions) o Sistema Cooperativo basato su Percezione Aptica ((Tactical) Squad Coordination System which is based on Aptic Command & Percetion) o Sistema Adattivo Multirobot per Aree Scarsamente Note (Multirobot Adaptive System which is able to operate also in Scarcely Known Areas) • NATO Reasearch Project: o Simulated Interactive Robotics Initiative • POR National Regional Project: o BEE SAFE: Sistema Adattivo Multirobot per la Bonifica di Aree Critiche ((Multirobot Adaptive System for Critical Areas Cleaning) B. Definition of the Integrated Product Roadmap, the strict relationship among all of the components of the BEE Product Family requires for integrated roadmap and technological scouting. C. Specification & Design of the Integrated Autonomous System for Swarming Operations, which is the system composed by heterogeneous platforms such as sensor networks, multirobot squads, personal mobile devices for operator in the fields, and Virtual Reality Control Station each hosting a specific product/component of the BEE Family. The System goal is to (i) demonstrate the feasibility and (ii) evaluate the advantages of data-centric architecture for swarming operations carried on by cooperating autonomous system and human operators.
Senior Product Technical Manager of the BEE Product Family which includes: 1. BEE-DDS which implements, and extends, the Object Management Group real timemiddleware: “Data Distribution Services for Real-Time System (DDS, http://portals.omg.org/dds/)” for different platforms (Linux, Windows,Android, NI LabView, APEX, Cloud, Arduino), languages ((Real-time) Java, C++, Ansi C) and, networks (LAN, WAN, MANET, 3G, Information-centric networking). DDS is a serveless, real-time middleware which is more and more requested by both civilian and defence istitutions in particular for large, network-centric systems. 2. BEE SENSE which acts as devices (sensor/actuators) cluster to build smart environments. It is based on the National Instrument (NI) RIO (Real-time I/O) family components and can be dynamically plugged into any network-centric system via the BEE DDS components. 3. BEE SWARM which provides services for the development of cooperative, autonomous, real-time multi-agents systems such as multi-robot/multi-sensor adaptive systems. 4. BEE AWARE (under development) which provides context-aware, swarm-centric, real-time collaboration services for squad of mobile operators involved in critical, degraded environments. This product is based on BEE-DDS and will be tightly integrated with both BEE SWARM and BEE SENSE allowing each operator to take advantages from the data generated by any sensor (fixed and mobile) available in the surrounding operating environment. 5. BEE VIRTUAL, which acts as connector for 3D Engine allowing to add a 3D Collaboration platform as element of a data-centric system. It is currently adopted to biuld hybrid multirobot simulation environment and Virtual Reality Control Station for Autonomous System. The above mentioned products family stems by a coherent, roadmap-driven research activity partially financed by both defence and civilian institutions such as NATO, Italian MoD, European Defence Agency, Italian Ministry of Research, European Commission.
I was responsible for “Customer Support” department, whose mission was the support the key SSI Customers, such as Selex Sistemi Integrati, Elsag Datamat, Thales Alenia Space Italia, in system engineering issues concerning the SW Components of their systems.
I was responsible of “Systems, Architecture and Operations” department, whose mission was the provision of system engineering services for Software Intensive Computing systems.
I supported the Network Engineering Department of the Broadband Telecommunication Satellite Directorate of Thales Alenia Space as Network Engineering Manager.
Design & Development of Hard Real-time Kernel based on Rate Monotonic Scheduling.