About Us

The Sensors and Signal Processing (SSP) team, led by Prof. Jan Steckel, is part of Cosys-Lab (Co-Design for Cyber-Physical Systems) at the Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp. The team conducts fundamental and applied research in acoustic sensing, advanced signal processing, and intelligent robotic perception, combining insights from biological systems with developments in sensor technology and artificial intelligence.

The team's research has its roots in the study of bat echolocation and biologically inspired sensing. Building on these foundations, SSP has developed a range of three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging technologies, translating principles of biological perception into practical sensing systems for robotics, industrial applications, and autonomous navigation.

Today, our research extends beyond acoustic imaging toward intelligent and adaptive perception. By integrating advanced sensor architectures, machine learning, and embedded systems, we investigate how autonomous systems can perceive, interpret, and interact with complex environments through sound.

Sensors and Signal Processing (SSP)

Our Research Journey

Foundations in Bio-Inspired Acoustic Sensing

During his doctoral research at the University of Antwerp, Jan Steckel explored how the principles of biological echolocation could inform the development of robust, three-dimensional in-air sonar systems.

Establishment of the Research Team

Following Jan Steckel's appointment as a tenure-track professor at the University of Antwerp in 2015, the SSP research team was established within CoSys-Lab. This period saw increasing emphasis on ultrasonic sensor development, industrial applications, and the translation of research into practical technologies.

Learning-Based Perception

and Predictive Processing

The team advances self-supervised learning and predictive processing to extract meaningful representations from acoustic data, anticipate future sensory observations, and enhance intelligent robotic perception.

2013

2020

2008

2015

Present

2024

Expanding Acoustic Sensing Applications

Research activities expanded toward biomedical technologies, bio-acoustics, and human–computer interaction, alongside continued developments in three-dimensional ultrasonic sensing.

Advanced Acoustic Imaging and Intelligent Perception

The team's research now spans advanced acoustic imaging, robotic perception, and industrial sensing, integrating bio-inspired approaches, signal processing, and artificial intelligence to develop intelligent and adaptive sensing systems.