Johannes leads The Lighthouse Lab at Purdue University, working at the intersection of robotics, motor neuroscience, and AI. He combines insights from human motor control with physics-grounded AI to create robotic systems that support individuals with neurological and physical impairments. Johannes is an Assistant Professor in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and an Assistant Professor (By Courtesy) in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University.
Before joining Purdue, Johannes was a postdoctoral researcher in the MIT–Novo Nordisk AI Fellowship Program and a Lab Professor for “2.671 Measurement and Instrumentation,” one of MIT MechE’s flagship undergraduate courses.
Before MIT, he spent nine years at KUKA, where he led research in physical Human-Robot Interaction. As a Senior Research Engineer in Corporate R&D, Johannes helped shape technologies that now power real-world products. His work led to dozens of patents, several of which were successfully transferred into industry.
Johannes earned his PhD with highest distinction under the mentorship of Prof. Stefano Stramigioli (University of Twente) and Prof. Neville Hogan (MIT). His thesis applied Differential Geometry to develop robot controllers that are safe, stable, and energy-aware, and it was honored as a finalist for the European Georges Giralt PhD Award.
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