Daniel Zhou Hao

Dr Daniel Hao is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in AI and Robotics in the School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (CMS) at the University of Leicester. He is the founder and Principal Investigator of the Dynamics, Astronautics, and Neural Intelligence (DANi) Lab and leads DriverLeics, a research-inspired education group in robotics and autonomous systems.

Dr Hao is the Principal Investigator of the UK Space Agency–funded ISPARK Project, developing the UK’s first intelligent robotic arc-welding capability for in-space manufacturing. He also serves as Leicester’s Principal Investigator on the PLATOR mission study and is the Robotics Lead for the ESA/NASA Mars Sample Return DWI qualification model project. He is affiliated with Space Park Leicester and is a Co-Investigator in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in the Digital Transformation of the Metals Industry, where he leads work on AI-driven materials manufacturing. Across these and related activities, he has contributed to securing over £23 million in externally funded research.

Before joining Leicester, Dr Hao conducted research at the Centre for Vision, Speech, and Signal Processing (CVSSP) and the Surrey Space Centre. He holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Manchester and dual MSc degrees in Space Sciences and Astronautical Engineering.

His research interests span AI, robotics, spacecraft guidance, navigation and control, world models, vision-language-action (VLA) systems, and intelligent autonomy for in-orbit servicing and manufacturing.