PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Alcherio Martinoli

Alcherio Martinoli is a robotics researcher whose work applies swarm intelligence and machine learning to teams of robots. He studied electrical engineering at ETH Zurich, earned a computer-science PhD at EPFL, and led Caltech’s Collective Robotics Group as research faculty by 2002. His 2003 odor-localization study combined distributed control on real robots with reinforcement learning. He returned to EPFL in 2003, became an associate professor at ENAC in 2008, won a teaching award in 2016, and became a full professor in 2024. As of October 2026, he is a Full Professor and director of DISAL; he led EPFL’s Environmental Sciences and Engineering Section from February 2024 until Devis Tuia succeeded him in March 2026.

Now at
EPFL
Works
374
Citations
9,340
h-index
47

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. By 2002

    Leading Caltech’s robotics group

    By 2002, he holds a degree in electrical engineering from ETH Zurich and a PhD in computer science from EPFL, and leads Caltech’s Collective Robotics Group as research faculty.

  2. 2003

    Swarm robots locate odor

    In 2003, he, Adam Hayes, and Rodney Goodman publish an odor-localization study that combines swarm intelligence, distributed robot control, and reinforcement learning.

  3. 2003–2008

    Returning to EPFL

    He returns to EPFL in 2003 and becomes an associate professor at ENAC in 2008.

  4. 2016

    An EPFL teaching award

    He receives EPFL’s 2016 Best Teaching Award from its environmental engineering department.

  5. February 2024–March 2026

    Leading EPFL’s environmental section

    He becomes Director of EPFL’s Environmental Sciences and Engineering Section in February 2024; Devis Tuia succeeds him in March 2026.

  6. May 2024

    Full Professor at EPFL

    In May 2024, EPFL announces his promotion to Full Professor of Distributed Intelligent Systems in its School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering.

  7. As of October 2026

    Director of DISAL

    He is a Full Professor at EPFL and Director of the Distributed Intelligent Systems and Algorithms Laboratory (DISAL).

Sources and credits

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  1. Alcherio Martinoli ‒ DISAL ‐ EPFL epfl.ch. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. Alcherio Martinoli — Automatic Control Laboratory seminar old.control.ee.ethz.ch. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. Swarm robotic odor localization: Off-line optimization and validation with real robots cambridge.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. Alcherio Martinoli wins the 2016 SIE Award for Best Teaching actu.epfl.ch. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. Alcherio Martinoli, new Director of SSIE actu.epfl.ch. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. Professor Devis Tuia new Director of SSIE actu.epfl.ch. Checked 15 October 2026.
  7. Two promotions at ENAC actu.epfl.ch. Checked 15 October 2026.