Episode 126: Why are we building humanoid robots? - Robot Talk Live
Robot Talk
Research into humanoid robots is a rapidly advancing field, with companies around the world striving to produce robots that look and act more like us. But what is it about recreating ourselves in robot form that we find so captivating? Why do humanoid robots both enthral and terrify us? And is our obsession with robotic humans just vanity, or could they play valuable roles in our future society? In this special live recording at Imperial College London as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival, Claire chatted to Ben Russell (Science Museum), Maryam Banitalebi Dehkordi (University of...
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Episode 125: Chatting with robots - Gabriel Skantze
Robot Talk
Claire chatted to Gabriel Skantze from KTH Royal Institute of Technology about having natural face-to-face conversations with robots. is a Professor of Speech Communication and Technology at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. He specializes in conversational systems and leads several research projects on conversational AI and human-robot interaction. His work focuses on computational models of spoken interaction, integrating both verbal and non-verbal aspects such as prosody, turn-taking, feedback, and joint attention. In 2014, he co-founded Furhat Robotics, where he continues to serve...
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Episode 124: Robots in the performing arts - Amy LaViers
Robot Talk
Claire chatted to Amy LaViers from the Robotics, Automation, and Dance Lab about the creative relationship between humans and machines. Amy LaViers works at the intersection of robotics and dance. Her writing, choreography, and machine designs have been presented internationally at performing arts and engineering venues, including Merce Cunningham’s studios, the Performance Arcade, and universities like Berkeley and Brown. She is the founder of three startup companies, including AE Machines, which won “Product Design of the Year” at the 4th Rev Awards in Chicago. Amy runs the , a...
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Episode 123: Standardising robot programming - Nick Thompson
Robot Talk
Claire chatted to Nick Thompson from BOW about software that makes robots easier to program. Nick Thompson is CEO of and exited founder of One Beyond Ltd, an international software development firm. His career started in 1997 as a software engineer, founded One Beyond in the early 2000's and after 20 years in the business sold to a private equity firm. In 2022 he was recognised as one of the UK's 'Most Ambitious Business Leaders' by LDC Private Equity Group. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon:
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Episode 122: Bio-inspired flying robots - Jane Pauline Ramos Ramirez
Robot Talk
Claire chatted to Jane Pauline Ramos Ramirez from Delft University of Technology about drones that can move on land and in the air. is a licensed engineer with a multidisciplinary background in bionics, mechanical, and aerospace engineering, and international research experience. Her life’s work is rooted in designing inclusive, socially accessible systems that work in synergy with nature and create meaningful impact in communities. As part of this mission, she has been developing nature-inspired drones that can move on both land and in the air — blending her appreciation for nature,...
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Episode 121: Adaptable robots for the home - Lerrel Pinto
Robot Talk
Claire chatted to Lerrel Pinto from New York University about using machine learning to train robots to adapt to new environments. is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at New York University (NYU). His research is aimed at getting robots to generalize and adapt in the messy world we live in. His lab focuses broadly on robot learning and decision making, with an emphasis on large-scale learning (both data and models); representation learning for sensory data; developing algorithms to model actions and behaviour; reinforcement learning for adapting to new scenarios; and building...
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Episode 120: Evolving robots to explore other planets - Emma Hart
Robot Talk
Claire chatted to Emma Hart from Edinburgh Napier University about algorithms that 'evolve' better robot designs and control systems. is a computer scientist working in the field of evolutionary computation. Her work takes inspiration from the natural world, in particular biological evolution, and uses this to develop algorithms that 'evolve' both the design and control systems of a robot, customised to a specific application. She was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2022, and was awarded the ACM SIGEVO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Evolutionary...
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Episode 119: Robotics for small manufacturers - Will Kinghorn
Robot Talk
Claire chatted to Will Kinghorn from Made Smarter about how to increase adoption of new tech by small manufacturers. Will Kinghorn is an automation and robotics specialist for the Adoption Programme in the UK. With a background as a chartered manufacturing engineer in the aerospace industry, Will has extensive experience in developing and implementing automation and robotic solutions. He now works with smaller manufacturing companies, assessing their needs, identifying suitable technologies, and guiding them through the adoption process. Last year he released a book called 'Digital...
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Episode 118: Soft robotics and electronic skin - Miranda Lowther
Robot Talk
Claire chatted to Miranda Lowther from the University of Bristol about soft, sensitive electronic skin for prosthetic limbs. is a PhD researcher at the FARSCOPE-TU Centre for Doctoral Training, a joint venture between University of Bristol, University of West of England, and Bristol Robotics Laboratory, where she is pursuing her passion for using soft robotics and morphological computation to help people in healthcare. For her PhD, she is investigating how soft e-skins and morphological computation concepts can be used to improve prosthetic user health, comfort, and quality of life, through...
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Episode 117: Robots in orbit - Jeremy Hadall
Robot Talk
Claire chatted to Jeremy Hadall from the Satellite Applications Catapult about robotic systems for in-orbit servicing, assembly, and manufacturing. Jeremy Hadall has worked with robotics for his entire career, developing novel and innovative approaches for manufacturing and logistics industries. He's now turned his experience into the development of robots that enable those tasks in the orbital environment. Prior to joining the Satellite Applications Catapult, he served as Chief Engineer for Intelligent Automation at the Manufacturing Technology Centre for over ten years. He has previously...
info_outlineClaire chatted to Josh Caputo from Humotech all about robotic prostheses, exoskeletons and prototyping.
Josh Caputo has a background as a multi-disciplinary engineer focused on robotics. He developed a passion for wearable technology working in the Experimental Biomechatronics Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University. His early work focused on studying powered push-off in prosthetic foot and ankle devices. In 2015, Josh founded Humotech to support clinical trials, commercialization and research and development efforts in wearable robotics. Josh’s dream is to see the field expand dramatically in size and innovativeness so that anyone, anywhere can realize their mobility goals.
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