Contact Dr Gilbert Tang
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754554
- Email: g.tang@cranfield.ac.uk
- Twitter: @DrGilbertTang
- ORCID
Areas of expertise
- Aerospace Manufacturing
- Aerospace Structures
- Computing, Simulation & Modelling
- Industrial Automation
- Manufacturing Systems
- Mechatronics & Advanced Controls
- Product and Service Design
- Sensor Technologies
Background
Dr Gilbert Tang is a Senior Lecturer in Robotics at Cranfield University and has served as Course Director of the MSc in Robotics for the past eight years. He previously held the role of Robotics Course Lead for MK:U. With over 15 years of research experience, his work focuses on large-scale robotic system development, intuitive human–robot interaction, human–robot collaboration, and service robotics, with a strong emphasis on translating robotics research into practical industrial applications.
Dr Tang has led and delivered multiple industry-focused research projects developing automated production and robotic systems at mid-Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), working closely with leading aerospace manufacturers to design and implement advanced automation solutions. His work bridges the gap between academic research and real-world deployment, supporting the adoption of robotics technologies within complex industrial environments.
Alongside his research and industry engagement, Dr Tang has played a significant role in developing robotics education and workforce capability in the UK. He led the development and launch of Cranfield’s MSc in Robotics and contributed to the development of the BEng Robotics programme at MK:U, helping to train the next generation of robotics engineers. He also served as an academic lead for two national apprenticeship Trailblazer groups that developed the Level 6 Robotics Engineer Degree Apprenticeship Standard and the Level 7 Advanced Robotics Engineer Apprenticeship Standard, helping to shape the UK’s skills pipeline for advanced robotics and automation.
Dr Tang teaches and supervises at both Master’s and doctoral levels and regularly reviews academic publications and research proposals in robotics. He is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a Fellow of Advance HE, and the Academic Representative for the British Automation and Robot Association, where he contributes to national discussions on robotics research, skills development, and industrial adoption.
Research opportunities
Gilbert's research interests:
- Industrial automation
- Safety in collaborative robots
- Human-robot collaboration
- Artificial Intelligence for human-robot interaction
- Robot system design
- Intuitive human-robot interface
- Automated aircraft assembly
- Metrology assisted aircraft assembly
PhD research opportunities available in the following research areas:
- Multi-modal human-robot interaction
- Intuitive human-robot interface
- Soft robotics for interactive systems
- AI in human-robot interaction
- Service robotics
- Robots for harsh environment
Clients
Airbus (UK)
BAE Systems
GKN
MTC
Ocado
Rolls Royce
Westfield Technology Group
University Hospital Birmingham
GBR Rail
Network Rail
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Pringle S, Dallimer M, Goddard MA, Le Goff LK, Hart E, .... (2025). Opportunities and challenges for monitoring terrestrial biodiversity in the robotics age. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 9(6)
- Laurent E, Soemantoro R, Jenner K, Kardos A, Tang G, .... (2025). Echo-Robot: Semi-autonomous cardiac ultrasound image acquisition using AI and robotics. IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics, 7(3)
- Mansakul T, Tang G, Webb P, Rice J, Oakley D, .... (2025). An end-to-end computationally lightweight vision-based grasping system for grocery items. Sensors, 25(17)
- Adiuku N, Avdelidis NP, Tang G & Plastropoulos A. (2024). Advancements in learning-based navigation systems for robotic applications in MRO hangar: review. Sensors, 24(5)
- Adiuku N, Avdelidis NP, Tang G & Plastropoulos A. (2024). Improved hybrid model for obstacle detection and avoidance in robot operating system framework (rapidly exploring random tree and dynamic windows approach). Sensors, 24(7)
- Adiuku N, Avdelidis NP, Tang G, Plastropoulos A & Diallo Y. (2024). Mobile robot obstacle detection and avoidance with NAV-YOLO. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, 13(2)
- Ishola AA, Whidborne JF & Tang G. (2024). An aircraft-manipulator system for virtual flight testing of longitudinal flight dynamics. Robotics, 13(12)
- Soemantoro R, Kardos A, Tang G & Zhao Y. (2023). An AI-powered navigation framework to achieve an automated acquisition of cardiac ultrasound images. Scientific Reports, 13(1)
- Story M, Webb P, Fletcher SR, Tang G, Jaksic C, .... (2022). Do speed and proximity affect human-robot collaboration with an industrial robot arm?. International Journal of Social Robotics, 14(4)
- Bordoni S & Tang G. (2022). Development and assessment of a contactless 3D joystick approach to industrial manipulator gesture control. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 93(January)
- Story M, Jaksic C, Fletcher SR, Webb P, Tang G, .... (2021). Evaluating the use of human aware navigation in industrial robot arms. Paladyn, Journal of Behavioral Robotics, 12(1)
- Tang G, Webb P & Thrower J. (2018). The development and evaluation of Robot Light Skin: A novel robot signalling system to improve communication in industrial human–robot collaboration. Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, 56
- Tang G & Webb P. (2018). The design and evaluation of an ergonomic contactless gesture control system for industrial robots. Journal of Robotics, 2018(1)
- Tang G, Asif S & Webb P. (2015). The integration of contactless static pose recognition and dynamic hand motion tracking control system for industrial human and robot collaboration. Industrial Robot: An International Journal, 42(5)
Conference Papers
- Singh S, Sutariya V, Robin N, Zhao B, Tang G, .... (2025). Multi-Robot System for Assembly in a Semi-Structured Environment
- Benny K, Mohanna S, Rose EK, Tariq D, Tang G, .... (2025). Generalised robotic anomaly detection in dynamic public environments
- Elavazhagan P, Shufflebotham A, Platanitis K, Leslie C, Tang G, .... (2025). MARIO-LAND: a multi arm robot for in-orbit operations at laboratory for autonomous navigation demonstrations
- Gupta U, Tang G & Webb P. (2025). Intuitive Gesture Control Interface for Swarm of Aerial Robots
- Maniar S, Tang G & Chacin M. (2025). GROOT: GPT-based human-RObOT interface
- Tang G, Singh S, Rice J, Kuang B, Barnes S, .... (2025). Collaborative dual-arm robot system for aircraft ground refuelling
- Castaing H, Tang G, Chacin M & Bonnefoi F. (2024). Application of model-based system engineering to a planetary rover design
- Cotrina de los Mozos I & Tang G. (2024). Design and control of a 7-degree-of-freedom symmetric manipulator module for in-orbit operations
- Pradhan ON, Tang G, Makris C & Gudipati R. (2024). Reading and understanding house numbers for delivery robots using the ”SVHN Dataset”
- Kuang B, Barnes S, Tang G & Jenkins K. (2024). Faster RCNN-based Refueling Port Detection for the Autonomous Aircraft Ground Refueling System
- Mansakul T, Tang G & Webb P. (2024). The comprehensive review of vision-based grasp estimation and challenges
- Li F, Izuwa E, Tang G, Webb P & Mighall T. (2024). Predictive metrology data reconstruction using support vector regression
- Hariharasudhan A, Tang G & Webb P. (2024). The development of an augmented reality gesture control human-robot interface
- Gashi K, Chacin M & Tang G. (2024). Electromechanical Design and Control Using a Large Language Model
- Yildirim S, Rana ZA & Tang G. (2023). Development of vision guided real-time trajectory planning system for autonomous ground refuelling operations using hybrid dataset
- Adiuku A, Avdelidis NP, Tang G, Plastropoulos A & Perinpanayagam S. (2023). CNN-fusion architecture with visual and thermographic images for object detection
- Mansakul T, Fan I-S & Tang G. (2023). Navigation for a mobile robot to inspect aircraft
- Kuang B, Barnes S, Tang G & Jenkins KW. (2023). A dataset for autonomous aircraft refueling on the ground (AGR)
- Bhadani S, Dillikar SR, Pradhan ON, Cotrina de los Mozos I, Felicetti L, .... (2023). A ROS-based simulation and control framework for in-orbit multi-arm robot assembly operations
- Martin A & Tang G. (2022). Tether-based localisation system for underwater robots
- Yildirim S, Rana Z & Tang G. (2021). Autonomous ground refuelling approach for civil aircrafts using computer vision and robotics
- Johnson TL, Fletcher SR & Webb P. (2016). Investigating the effects of signal light position on human workload and reaction time in human-robot collaboration tasks
- Tang G, Charalambous G, Webb P & Fletcher S. (2014). Users’ understanding of industrial robot gesture motions and effects on trust
Books
- Elavazhagan P, Leslie C, Upadhyay S, Tang G & Felicetti L. (2026). Locomotion of Multi Arm Robot for In-Orbit Operations (MARIO) in lab environment In Lecture Notes in Computer Science (16045). Springer.
- Dillikar SR, Leslie C, Upadhyay S, Felicetti L & Tang G. (2025). A ROS-based control framework for simulating locomotion of a multi-arm space assembly robot In Lecture Notes in Computer Science (15052). Springer.
- Petrunin I & Tang G. (2023). Chapter 21 Sensors for aerial, automotive, and robotic applications In Advanced Sensor Technology. Elsevier.
- Petrunin I & Tang G. (2023). Sensors for aerial, automotive, and robotic applications In Advanced Sensor Technology. Elsevier.
- Petrunin I & Tang G. (2022). Sensors for aerial, automotive, and robotic applications In Barhoum A & Altintas Z (eds), Advanced Sensor Technology: Biomedical, Environmental, and Construction Applications. Elsevier.
- Barattini P, Federico V, Virk GS & Haidegger T. (2019). Human–Robot Interaction In Barattini P, Vicentini F, Virk GS & Haidegger T (eds), Human-Robot Interaction: Safety, Standardization, and Benchmarking. Chapman and Hall/CRC.
