The people powering robotics: 11 Melexis experts on shaping the future of robotics

Ask any Melexis expert what excites them about robotics, and you’ll hear stories that go far beyond technology. For some, it’s the energy of cross-functional teamwork, where ideas are sparked in dialogue. For others, it’s the satisfaction of turning concepts into solutions that redefine how robots behave. We’ve gathered eleven unique perspectives from the experts shaping our future, spanning from the innovation lab to business development.

In this interview, our experts reflect on teamwork, opportunities, challenges, and what the future of robotics holds at Melexis.

What excites you most about working on robotic solutions within Melexis?

Nicole Yazigy, a Sensor Design Engineer who works at the system-level, kicks off the conversation. “Collaboration is embedded in our DNA. When we realized a pivot was needed on a certain torque sensor, we organized a cross-functional workshop with electronics, modeling, mechanics, and business experts. Ideas here are not born in silence—they’re born in dialogue. That synergy is what makes our innovation team thrive.”

For Leonardo Celé, Associate Development Engineer, the excitement lies in the pace of change. “Humanoid robots looked like a sci-fi dream 10–15 years ago. Now, new solutions and applications are emerging every day. I’m proud to have designed and built a custom compression setup for our tactile sensor Tactaxis, which is now used for prequalification testing at our Ieper site. Taking ownership of such projects and collaborating with my teammates has taught me the value of accountability and teamwork.”

Team spirit is also something Syrine Mansour, Development Engineer, acknowledges: “We’re now focusing on the tactile sensor product. This means design tuning, preparing evaluation kits, and building on market feedback. Our team works closely with innovation, software, marketing, and field application teams worldwide. We believe in a common vision and collaborate to provide high-quality solutions and customer experiences in the shortest possible time frame.”

Jacques De Jonghe, Senior Program Manager, from the innovation acceleration group, adds the importance of diversity within a team: “We’re creating products that are first of a kind in the worldwide market. To do this, we need perspectives from every function at Melexis. For our fingertip product based on Tactaxis, we’ve already seen strong customer interest in the technology.”

These modules, like the fingertip, are very new. What is the importance of product design in the development of robotic solutions?

Robotic solutions from Melexis are making a difference across many industries, from automotive and healthcare to industrial and assistive technologies. For Theophile Coulon, an Industrial and Product Designer at Melexis, robotics isn’t just about technical performance. “My main goal is to shape our tactile finger module so it’s not only functional, but also attractive and ergonomic for our clients,” he shares. “I love the challenge of turning complex technical ideas into designs that are easy to understand and fun to explore.” By bridging the gap between engineering needs and creative vision, Théophile ensures that our complex technology is translated into an aesthetic, impactful design that clients are proud to showcase.

So teamwork is important, as well as innovation and product development. But how does Melexis turn a vision into a strategy?

Julien Ghaye, Robotics Product Line Manager, sees his role as defining and executing the product strategy for innovative robotics applications. With a smile, he explains: “Melexis is shifting from a product-line-driven approach to an application-driven one, especially for emerging markets like robotics. Our innovation lab and robotics team allow us to position ourselves as solution providers, not just component suppliers.”

Payne Wang, Field Applications Manager for the Asian region, is bridging the gap between the products of Melexis and the needs of the customer. He echoes the sentiment of Julien from the front lines in Asia: “As robotics becomes a strategic market for Melexis, we’ve proactively gathered industry insights and developed tailored solutions for leading clients. We have established strong relationships with leading industry companies in robotics, humanoids, and more. We have identified over 90 business opportunities for three Melexis products alone. These steps are vital to push the boundaries of semiconductor integration.”

From factory floor to field: what are future opportunities for robotics in production and beyond?

Robotics at Melexis isn’t just about new products; it’s about transforming how the world works. Bertrand Leterme, Global Automation and Robotic Process Owner, focuses on integrating automation into production. “Our goal is to enable more resilience in production by freeing up the workforce from repetitive tasks. We’re using 3D simulation tools to compare solutions and improve planning stability, quality, and on-time delivery. Automation makes sense where people need to do the same actions repeatedly, as robots can support, letting people focus on solving complex issues.”

Michael Wang, Field Applications Engineer, adds: “In China, we are on the verge of a boom in humanoid robotics. What excites me most is how robotic technology integrates sensing, control, and algorithms to solve practical problems - not only in production environments, but also in daily life. Especially with the continuous evolution of collaborative robots, I see technology truly empowering real-world scenarios and creating tangible social value across industries, from manufacturing to healthcare.”

Every journey comes with its challenges. What have been the challenging situations in your work?

“Every innovation has its hurdles. When things get tough, we stay calm and keep moving forward”, says Bob Schildermans, Business Accelerator Beyond Automotive Director. “Progress on the Tactaxis product has been excellent, and seeing the motivation in our teams is truly inspiring.” Whether it’s producing a communication video in three days (Theophile), aligning business dreams with physical feasibility (Nicole), or troubleshooting customer integration issues in the field (Jessie Hu), the team thrives on challenge.

For Jessie Hu, Senior Application Engineer, one situation stands out. “When a customer experienced performance discrepancies after integrating our product, an onsite comprehensive review of their hardware design and software configuration showed no issue. We brought their product to our lab for rigorous testing. After multiple analysis we discovered that it is a seemingly inconspicuous physical connection led to thermal expansion. By identifying and resolving this, we helped customer to achieve their target performance metrics."

Looking ahead, what would be the future of robotics at Melexis?

Looking ahead, Melexis aims to become a key player in tactile sensing and actuation for robotics, just as we have in automotive. “Our ambition is to make robotics smarter, more efficient, and more human-centric”, says Nicole. “We want to deliver robust, high-reliability solutions at competitive prices, bringing sensing into compact robotic joints and tactile interfaces.”

The team’s collective inspiration comes from many places: the drive to solve complex problems, the excitement of seeing prototypes come to life, and the belief that robotics can improve lives. As Jacques puts it: “Making things that work is the source of joy and pleasure!”

And what if robotics could make our engineers’ work even more fun in the future? When asked what tasks Michael would like to hand over to a robot, he smiles: “It would be fantastic to let a robot handle the repetitive mechanical work, like device parameter testing or sorting small and soft goods. That way, I could focus on creative design and have even more room for technical breakthroughs.”

Building the future, together

From Shanghai to Ieper, from design studios to factory floors, our team is united by a heart for innovation and a commitment to collaboration. As robotics continues to evolve, we’re proud to be shaping the technologies that will define the next generation of intelligent, versatile robots.

Want to learn more about our expertise and robotic solutions? Discover more and download our robotics e-guide here.

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