Hendrik (Rik) Van Brussel (24 October 1944, Ypres, Belgium) is a Belgian emeritus professor of mechanical engineering of the KU Leuven, world-renowned for his research on robotics, mechatronics and holonic manufacturing systems.

He was Head of Division PMA (Production Engineering, Machine design and Automation) of KU Leuven, (1980–93 and 2001–03) and subsequently chairman thereof (2003–2010).

Apart from his extensive work in Cutting dynamics, Structural dynamics, Computer-Integrated Manufacture (CIM), and Micro and Precision Engineering, the rest of Van Brussel’s work may be organized under the following three main topics: Robotics: Pioneering work in robotics research in Belgium, and in Europe; work includes: active force feedback; methodology for model-based task-specification and control of "compliant motion" tasks; universal three-finger gripper; LOLA, an off-line robot programming language with structured data base; KARMEN, a general analysis and design program for the inverse and direct kinematics and dynamics of 3D mechanisms; multi-component force-torque sensors and a tactile sensor array; robotic force-controlled deburring; Service robotics: LiAS, an autonomous mobile manipulator; intelligent wheelchairs with shared autonomy; medical robotics, e.g. robotised laparoscopy involving innovative haptic interfaces.

This includes: optimisation of the mechanical structure in the conceptual design phase; derivation of robust control algorithms (H-infinity, sliding mode, ..) that can guarantee performance in the presence of important disturbances, such as changing machine configuration, cutting forces, friction, …; derivation of simple control models from finite-element models of the mechanical structure as a basis for developing control algorithms; development of an integrated design framework for simultaneous optimisation of structure and controller of complex flexible-multi-body mechatronic systems with time-varying configurations.

Main achievement is setting up reference architectures and a design methodology for holonic manufacturing systems.