PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Manuel Cardona

Also known as Manuel Napoleón Cardona Gutiérrez, Manuel Cardona Gutiérrez

Manuel Cardona is a Salvadoran robotics researcher whose work covers rehabilitation exoskeletons, and he advises El Salvador's National Artificial Intelligence Agency (ANIA). After an electrical engineering degree from Universidad de Sonsonate in 2004 and a master's in automation and robotics at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in 2008, he joined Universidad Don Bosco in 2014 to direct its robotics and computer vision research groups. His doctoral work in Madrid produced ALICE, a lower-limb exoskeleton paired with an on-board muscle-driven simulator, and he earned the PhD cum laude in 2020 as El Salvador's first doctor in robotics. At Don Bosco he went on to serve as research director and then vice-rector of science and technology, and he co-founded STEAM Robotics Academy in 2023 and founded SARA Robotics in 2025. Since August 2026, he is strategic advisor to ANIA, working on sovereign AI infrastructure, robotics and the CUBO_ai talent program.

Now at
National Artificial Intelligence Agency and Universidad Don Bosco
Works
132
Citations
825
h-index
13
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 2004–2008

    A robotics master's in Madrid

    Born in San Miguel and raised in Sonsonate, he earns a B.S. in electrical engineering from Universidad de Sonsonate in 2004 and starts teaching university engineering courses in 2005. A Spanish government scholarship in 2007 takes him to Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, where he works from 2007 to 2008 as a research assistant in the Robotics and Intelligence Machines Research Group and completes an M.Sc. in automation and robotics in 2008.

  2. 2014–2016

    Robotics groups at Don Bosco

    In 2014, he joins the School of Engineering at Universidad Don Bosco in El Salvador as a professor and directs its Robotics and Intelligence Machines and Computer Vision research groups. His papers there include work on the forward kinematics of Stewart-Gough platforms and SugarVision, software that extracts the properties of sugar crystals with artificial vision. IEEE names him a Senior Member in 2016, and he helps found the university's student IEEE robotics chapter.

  3. 2017–2020

    The ALICE exoskeleton

    From 2017 to 2020, he pursues a doctorate in automation and robotics at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, centered on the ALICE rehabilitation exoskeleton. In 2020, with Cecilia E. García Cena and colleagues at the university's Centre for Automation and Robotics, he presents ALICE, a lower-limb exoskeleton paired with an on-board muscle-driven simulator that estimates the wearer's kinetic gait parameters. He earns the PhD cum laude in 2020 and becomes El Salvador's first doctor in robotics.

  4. 2020

    A book on rehabilitation exoskeletons

    In 2020, Springer publishes Exoskeleton Robots for Rehabilitation and Healthcare Devices, by Cardona, Vijender Kumar Solanki and Cecilia E. García Cena. Meant as a reference guide to robotics in rehabilitation, it covers musculoskeletal modelling, gait analysis, biomechanics, wearable devices and the Internet of Medical Things.

  5. 2022–2025

    Research director and a Madrid postdoc

    From 2022 to 2025, he is research director at Universidad Don Bosco, overseeing research in robotics, automation and digital transformation. In 2023, he completes a postdoctoral fellowship at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid on the modeling and simulation of robotic systems for muscle rehabilitation, his fourth Fundación Carolina scholarship.

  6. 2023–2025

    STEAM Robotics Academy and SARA Robotics

    He co-founds STEAM Robotics Academy in 2023 and leads it as director general; by February 2024, 70 children aged four to 13 attend its robotics courses, and its catalog includes artificial intelligence and computer vision. In 2025, he founds SARA Robotics, a company that builds smart-factory systems with robotics, AI and industrial IoT.

  7. 2025

    Vice-rector and a robotics law

    Springer publishes Rehabilitation Robotics, his book with Fernando E. Serrano on the kinematics, dynamics and control of exoskeleton robots, in April 2025. He becomes vice-rector of science and technology at Universidad Don Bosco in 2025. In July 2025, he briefs a Legislative Assembly commission on the proposed Robotics Technologies Law, putting El Salvador's robot count at about 42, calling for certified robot operators and backing the bill's plan to bring robotics education into the school system.

  8. Since August 2026

    Strategic advisor to ANIA

    In August 2026, El Salvador's National Artificial Intelligence Agency (ANIA) appoints him strategic advisor. He advises the agency on sovereign AI infrastructure, robotics and industrial automation, and the expansion of the CUBO_ai talent program; one initiative under consideration is a Free Robot Zone for testing advanced technologies.

Career

  1. Since 2026National Artificial Intelligence AgencyStrategic Advisor
  2. From 2025SARA RoboticsFounder
  3. 2023–2025STEAM Robotics AcademyCo-founder, Director General
  4. 2017–2021Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
  5. 2014–2025Universidad Don BoscoProfessor; Research Group Director, Research Director
  6. 2007–2023Technical University of MadridResearch Assistant, Postdoctoral Fellow

Education

  1. 2020Technical University of MadridPhD
  2. 2008Technical University of MadridM.Sc.
  3. 2004University of SonsonateB.S.

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Most-cited works

  1. Industrial, Collaborative and Mobile Robotics in Latin America: Review of Mechatronic Technologies for Advanced Automation2023 · Emerging Science Journal · 59 citations
  2. Mobile Robots Application Against Covid-19 Pandemic2020 · IEEE ANDESCON · 58 citations
  3. Mechatronic Exoskeleton Systems for Supporting the Biomechanics of Shoulder-Elbow-Wrist: An Innovative Review2021 · IEEE International IOT, Electronics and Mechatronics Conference (IEMTRONICS) · 53 citations
  4. Smart Mobile LoRa Agriculture System based on Internet of Things2019 · IEEE Central America and Panama Convention (CONCAPAN) · 49 citations
  5. Biomechanical Analysis of the Lower Limb: A Full-Body Musculoskeletal Model for Muscle-Driven Simulation2019 · IEEE Access · 45 citations

From OpenAlex, as of 21 October 2026.

  1. 11% of AI doctorate holders from 2010 to 2016 founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduationIncludes Manuel Cardona. We estimate how often AI doctorate holders founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduation, how waiting times compare between founders and top jobs, and which universities trained the most.
  2. Of 216 AI researchers who entered public life, 83 held advisory seats and 58 took public rolesIncludes Manuel Cardona. Of 216 AI researchers who entered public life, 83 held advisory seats and 58 took public roles. Another 97 people moved from public careers into AI organizations or research, with 62% of dated records starting from 2020 on.
  3. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Technical University of Madrid. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  4. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes Technical University of Madrid. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Manuel Cardona yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Manuel Cardona, el primer científico en robótica de rehabilitación - Ministerio de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología mined.gob.sv. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. Exoskeleton Robots for Rehabilitation and Healthcare Devices by Manuel Cardona, Vijender Kumar Solanki, Cecilia E. García Cena | Ex Libris exlibris.ch. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. Robótica en El Salvador: Manuel Cardona, pionero y promotor | Guanacos guanacos.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. IEEE nombra a docente investigador UDB como Miembro Senior | Universidad Don Bosco udb.edu.sv. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. Manuel Cardona | PhD in Automation & Robotics mcardona.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. ALICE: Conceptual Development of a Lower Limb Exoskeleton Robot Driven by an On-Board Musculoskeletal Simulator - PMC pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. Entrevistamos a Manuel Cardona, doctor en Automática y Robótica y director general de STEAM Robotics Academy - Fundación Carolina fundacioncarolina.es. Checked 20 October 2026.
  8. Exoskeleton Robots for Rehabilitation and Healthcare Devices (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology) | AbeBooks abebooks.fr. Checked 20 October 2026.
  9. Rehabilitation Robotics - Cardona Manuel; Serrano Fernando E. | Libro Springer 04/2025 - HOEPLI.it hoepli.it. Checked 20 October 2026.
  10. Salvadoran Returns Home to Establish Robotics Academy, Boosting Tech Education. – El Salvador in English elsalvadorinenglish.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  11. El Salvador solo cuenta con 42 robots, dijo vicerrector de la UDB ante comisión elsalvador.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  12. ANIA Appoints Robotics and AI Expert Manuel Cardona to Advance El Salvador's Artificial Intelligence Strategy – El Salvador in English elsalvadorinenglish.com. Checked 20 October 2026.