Shows
Failing UpPowering the Future: AI, Energy & Leadership | Asher Genoot (Hut 8)This week, I sat down with Asher Genoot, the CEO of Hut 8, one of North America’s largest digital infrastructure and energy providers — powering everything from crypto mining to AI compute. We talked about what it actually takes to build the infrastructure that powers the future — and why no one’s talking enough about energy when they talk about AI.Asher breaks down the tension between energy sustainability and economic growth, shares lessons from navigating the 2022 crypto crash, and explains why he joined a bankruptcy committee on purpose — just to learn.We al...
2025-04-0947 min
Robot TalkRobots mapping the deep ocean - Joe WolfelClaire chatted to Joe Wolfel from Terradepth about autonomous submersible robots for collecting ocean data. Joe Wolfel is the CEO and founder of Terradepth. He is passionate about helping people make better and faster decisions regarding what we do (and don't do) in the ocean. Terradepth designs and builds ocean-going robots at scale, deploys them, and delivers data through an ocean data platform tailored for the maritime community. Prior to Terradepth, Joe has helped start a couple other companies, worked as a management consultant, and served as a US Navy SEAL officer with deployments throughout the Middle...
2024-11-2227 min
Robot TalkRobotic chemists to discover new materials - Gabriella PizzutoClaire chatted to Gabriella Pizzuto from the University of Liverpool about intelligent robotic manipulators for laboratory automation. Gabriella Pizzuto is a Lecturer in Robotics and Chemistry Automation at the University of Liverpool. She is also a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow and ECR Co-Chair on the EPSRC AI Hub in Chemistry. She has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Manchester, where she was also a Marie-Sklodowska Curie early stage researcher and a visiting scholar at the University of Edinburgh and Italian Institute of Technology. She was then a postdoctoral research associate at...
2024-11-1524 min
Robot TalkRobot swarms for environmental monitoring - Pratap TokekarClaire chatted to Pratap Tokekar from the University of Maryland about how teams of robots with different capabilities can work together. Pratap Tokekar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies at the University of Maryland, and an Amazon Scholar. Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the GRASP lab of University of Pennsylvania and later, an Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech. He has a degree in Electronics and Telecommunication from the College of Engineering Pune in India and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University...
2024-11-0831 min
Robot TalkSoft robots in medicine and healthcare - Maria Elena GiannacciniClaire chatted to Maria Elena Giannaccini from the University of Aberdeen about soft and bioinspired robotics for healthcare and beyond. Maria Elena Giannaccini has a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the Università di Pisa in Italy. She conducted her Master’s thesis at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna as part of the EU-funded OCTOPUS project. In 2015, she obtained her PhD in Robotics at the Bristol Robotics, where she focussed on developing safe, variable stiffness robotic devices. She worked at the University of Bristol on the soft, bioinspired Tactip sensor and a soft robotics artificial larynx. In 2019, Elena was appoi...
2024-11-0128 min
Robot TalkHelping companies grow with robotics - Jonathan WalkerClaire chatted to Jonathan Walker from Innovate UK about translating robotics research into the commercial sector. Jonathan Walker is the Innovation Lead for Robotics and Sensors at Innovate UK. He is working with government, universities, businesses and cross-sector teams to accelerate the development and uptake of robotics in the UK. Areas of particular interest are the built environment, circular economy, and helping people live independently for longer. Jonathan wants to support these themes through cluster development, funded collaborative R&D, skills programs from school outreach, apprenticeships and T-levels to CDTs, business support and leveraging private investment.
2024-10-2528 min
Robot TalkHumanoid robots for health and social care - Esyin ChewClaire chatted to Esyin Chew from Cardiff Metropolitan University about service and social humanoid robots in healthcare and education. Esyin Chew is the Director of the EUREKA Robotics Centre, one of 11 specialist robotics centres in the UK, impacting underprivileged communities with over 120 humanoid robots. She has led million-pound government or industrial-funded global projects across the UK, EU, Australia, Malaysia, China and Indonesia, including the British Council award-winning Global PIE programme for Women in STEAM-H. Esyin has impacted numerous underprivileged communities, particularly girls and women in education and healthcare sectors, refugees and Orang Asli (Indigenous people). ...
2024-10-1830 min
Robot TalkRobots and AI in the workplace - Matt BeaneClaire chatted to Matt Beane from the University of California, Santa Barbara about how humans can learn to work with intelligent machines. Matt Beane conducts field research on robots and AI in the workplace, focusing on positive exceptions applicable to the broader world of work. He has published his award-winning research in top management journals and presented on the TED stage. He's been recognized as a Human-Robot Interaction Pioneer and named to the Thinkers50 Radar list. Matt is an assistant professor in the Technology Management department at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and as a Digital...
2024-10-1138 min
Robot TalkTrust and acceptance of robots - Gisela Reyes-CruzClaire chatted to Gisela Reyes-Cruz from the University of Nottingham about how humans interact with, trust and accept robots. Gisela Reyes-Cruz investigates human-computer and human-robot interaction to understand everyday life interactions with technologies, as well as trust in them and public acceptance. These technologies include autonomous and robotic systems: from mobile apps that have, or may have, a component that works autonomously, to robots that can navigate a physical space on their own, such as telepresence robots. The goal of Gisela's work is to inform responsible system design and design practices. Find out more about...
2024-10-0421 min
Robot TalkRobot navigation on land and in water - John LeonardClaire chatted to John Leonard from Massachusetts Institute of Technology about autonomous navigation for underwater vehicles and self-driving cars. John Leonard is a Professor of Mechanical and Ocean Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a member of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). His research addresses the problems of navigation and mapping for autonomous underwater vehicles, self-driving vehicles, and other types of mobile robots. He has a degree in Electrical Engineering and Science from the University of Pennsylvania and PhD in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford. He is a Technical A...
2024-09-2730 min
Backstraight Boys (& Girl) Athletics ChatThe We Blame Chase Jackson EditionSend us a textBack from gallivanting around Europe the gang are back in business with the hangovers to prove it. Whilst Jaz was celebrating the end of season in Paris and Barcelona the boys were reminded that their partying days are behind them at The Diamond League Final in Brussels. A certain Shot Put champion may be to blame. There also much to discuss about the upcoming IOC Presidential race and the exciting Commonwealth Games announcement as well as some special guests with quick chats to the likes of Dina Asher Smith, Co...
2024-09-251h 15
Robot TalkRobotically Augmented People - Robot Talk Live Robotics is helping to rehabilitate and increase human abilities in areas like mobility and stamina. Innovations in robotic devices, exoskeletons, and wearable tech aim to offer disabled people different perspectives and new experiences, as well as supporting humans more widely to access, inhabit and work safely in dangerous and extreme conditions. What does the future hold for these technologies and the people they will become a part of? In this special live recording at the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival, Claire chatted to Milia Helena Hasbani (I...
2024-06-2151 min
Robot TalkMedicinal microrobots - Simone SchuerleClaire chatted to Simone Schuerle from ETH Zürich all about microrobots, medicine and science. Simone Schuerle is Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, where she heads the Responsive Biomedical System Lab. With her team, she develops diagnostic and therapeutic systems at the nano- and microscale with the aim of tackling a range of challenging problems in medicine. One major focus of her current research is addressing limitations in drug delivery through scalable magnetically enhanced drug transport. In 2014, she co-founded the spin-off MagnebotiX that offers electromagnetic control systems for wireless micromanipulation. Join the live a...
2024-06-1423 min
Robot TalkRobotic surgery - Lord Ara DarziClaire chatted to Lord Ara Darzi from Imperial College London all about robotic surgery - past, present and future. Ara Darzi is Co-Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London and holds the Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery. In 2002, he was knighted for his services to medicine and surgery and in 2007 was introduced as Lord Darzi of Denham to the UK’s House of Lords as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health. Professor Darzi leads a large multidisciplinary academic and policy research team, focused on convergence science across engineering, physical and data sc...
2024-06-0715 min
Robot TalkHuman-centred design - Isabelle OrmerodClaire chatted to Isabelle Ormerod from the University of Bristol all about human-centred design and women in robotics. Isabelle Ormerod is a PhD student at Bristol Robotics Lab in the Design and Manufacturing Futures Lab. Her professional path began in the medical product design industry, where she observed firsthand the application of human factors (HF) processes for dextrous and high-risk procedures. This experience sparked her interest in leveraging data-driven HF approaches in product design. Isabelle is also part of the Leadership team of Women in Robotics UK. This organization is committed to fostering an inclusive community for...
2024-05-3126 min
Robot TalkRobotics at CERN - Mario Di CastroClaire chatted to Mario Di Castro from CERN all about robotic inspection and maintenance in hazardous environments. Mario Di Castro has a Master’s degree in electronic engineering from the University of Naples Federico II in Italy and a PhD in robotics and industrial controls from the Polytechnic University of Madrid in Spain. Since 2011 he has led the Mechatronics, Robotics and Operation section at CERN. The section is responsible for the design, construction, installation, operation and maintenance of robotic systems used for remote maintenance at the CERN accelerator complex. His research interests include tele-robotics, machine learning, and pr...
2024-05-2417 min
Robot TalkDrone vision and navigation - Margarita ChliClaire chatted to Margarita Chli from the University of Cyprus all about vision, navigation, and small aerial drones. Margarita Chli is a professor of Robotic Vision and the director of the Vision for Robotics Lab, at the University of Cyprus and ETH Zurich. Her work has contributed to the first vision-based autonomous flight of a small drone and the first demonstration of collaborative monocular SLAM for a small swarm of drones. Margarita has given invited keynotes at the World Economic Forum in Davos, TEDx, and ICRA, and she was featured in Robohub's 2016 list of "25 women in Robotics...
2024-05-1725 min
Robot TalkArt and robotics - Steve BenfordClaire chatted to Steve Benford from the University of Nottingham all about art, dance, and cat sitting robots. Steve Benford is the Dunford Professor of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham where he co-founded the Mixed Reality Laboratory. His research explores artistic applications of digital technologies through performance-led methods that engage artists in creating, touring and studying unique interactive experiences. He directs the EPSRC-funded Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training and the University’s newly founded Cobot Maker Space that is exploring human interaction with robots. He is also a keen musician. Join the live au...
2024-05-1030 min
Robot TalkLife-like artificial systems - Estelle RaffyClaire chatted to Estelle Raffy from the University of Bristol all about animal behaviour, intelligence, and life-like artificial systems. Estelle Raffy is a PhD student at the University of Bristol. During her Bachelor's degree in neuroscience and cognitive science, the “brained body” of the octopus kept her wondering: how can nature start with similar basic principles and end up with massive decentralized systems that we still call intelligent? She did a Master in epistemology and history of science where she addressed what embodiment principles tell us about biological and artificial systems' design and behaviour. Building on this, her P...
2024-05-0325 min
Robot TalkSoftware for teleoperation - Chang LiuClaire chatted to Chang Liu from Extend Robotics all about teleoperation, virtual reality, and software. Chang Liu is an entrepreneur from academia and high-tech start-ups. He is the founder, CEO and Chief Designer of Extend Robotics. He was previously a research associate in Imperial College London and University of Southampton on autonomous aerial robot navigation. Join the live audience! Robot Talk will be returning for another live episode recording this June, as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival in London. 'Humans 2.0: Robotically Augmented People' will be held at the V&A Museum...
2024-04-2631 min
Robot TalkVision for self-driving cars - Vassia SimaiakiClaire chatted to Vassia Simaiaki from Wayve all about computer vision, artificial intelligence, and self-driving cars. Vassia Simaiaki is passionate about taking research into application and has spent the last decade of her career in computer vision. She leads AI research in vision and graphics at Wayve. Her focus is pushing the boundaries of novel view synthesis and continuing to accelerate the driving performance of autonomous vehicles. Vassia has a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and MSc in Neuroscience from Imperial College London. She thrives on solving hard problems and building high-performing teams of engineers and...
2024-04-1918 min
Robot TalkResilient robot teams - Danesh TaraporeClaire chatted to Danesh Tarapore from the University of Southampton all about fault detection, division of labour, and robot swarms. Danesh Tarapore is an Associate Professor at the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. Danesh has addressed a diverse range of challenges in fault detection and recovery in robot swarms. He is also keen to push robot swarms out of their carefully controlled laboratory environments and into the real world, pursuing applications for robot swarms in marine exploration and in forest monitoring. Research on resilient robots that he has collaborated on has...
2024-04-1230 min
Robot TalkThe social side of robot design - Ella MauleClaire chatted to Ella Maule from the Bristol Robotics Laboratory all about community robotics and the social side of robot design. Ella Maule is a PhD Student in Ethical & Sustainable Futures at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory and a co-lead of Women in Robotics UK. Grounded in the principles of Responsible Innovation, her research explores the concept of Community Robotics, which centres communities as users of, and stakeholders in, robotic technology innovation. She is passionate about increasing equity, accessibility and inclusivity in robotics and, alongside her Women in Robotics UK colleagues, has developed and delivered workshops and events...
2024-04-0522 min
Robot TalkConnecting science fiction and fact - Stephen OramClaire chatted to Stephen Oram from Nudge the Future Fiction all about applied science fiction and the quirks and perils of new technology. Stephen Oram writes near-future science fiction, exploring the intersection of messy humans and imperfect technology. He also works with scientists and technologists on projects that explore possible future outcomes of their research through short stories. He is published in several anthologies, including the Best of British Science Fiction 2020 and 2022, and has two published novels and three collections of sci-fi shorts. His recent collection – Extracting Humanity – includes stories from the projects with scientists.
2024-03-2228 min
Robot TalkSocial robots that learn from experience - Patricia ShawClaire chatted to Patricia Shaw from Aberystwyth University about home assistance robots, and robot learning and development. Patricia Shaw is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Robotics at Aberystwyth University. Her current research interests include technology for assistive living and she is currently leading on establishing a new Smart Home Lab at the university. This new lab will be used to research, develop and test a wide range of sensing technology for monitoring activities in the home as well as robots ranging from companions to assistants around the home. She strongly supports public engagement and has...
2024-03-1522 min
Robot TalkRobots on the railways - Andrew StarrClaire chatted to Andrew Starr from Cranfield University all about robot maintenance and railway inspection robots. Andrew Starr holds a PhD in condition monitoring of robotic production systems and is a Chartered Engineer. His career started with British Aerospace, before working for the University of Manchester, University of Huddersfield, and the University of Hertfordshire. At Cranfield University he is Professor of Maintenance Systems, and former Head of the Centre for Life-cycle Engineering and Management. His research is in monitoring of mechanical systems with special interests in railways, aero gears, sensor systems, and maintenance optimisation through data fusion.
2024-03-0834 min
Robot TalkRobot hands and exoskeletons - Antonia TzemanakiClaire chatted to Antonia Tzemanaki from the University of Bristol all about hand exoskeletons, robotic hands, and teleoperation. Antonia Tzemanaki is Senior Lecturer in Robotics at the University of Bristol and the Bristol Robotics Laboratory. Prior to this, she was Lecturer in Mechatronics at the University of the West of England. Her research includes human and robot hands, hand exoskeletons, haptics and wearable robotics, especially with applications in surgery, preventative medicine, rehabilitation, physiotherapy and dexterous tele-operation, as well as extreme environments (nuclear and space). Win a Robot Talk T-shirt For a chance to...
2024-03-0122 min
Robot TalkTeaching robots to grasp - Edward JohnsClaire chatted to Edward Johns from Imperial College London, all about robotic manipulators, learning, and artificial intelligence. Edward Johns is the Director of the Robot Learning Lab at Imperial College London, where he is also a Senior Lecturer. He completed a PhD in Computer Vision at Imperial College and was then a Research Fellow in the Dyson Robotics Lab at Imperial College. In 2017, he was awarded a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship. Since founding the Robot Learning Lab in 2018, he and his team have been developing efficient methods for robots to learn new skills for...
2024-02-2329 min
Robot TalkMaking robots more accessible - Marisé Galvez TrigoClaire chatted to Maria Jose (Marisé) Galvez Trigo from Cardiff University all about human-robot interaction, machine learning, and accessibility. Maria Jose Galvez Trigo (Marisé) is a Lecturer in the School of Computer Science and Informatics at Cardiff University, and part of the Human-centred Computing (HCC) Research Section and its Subgroup in Computational and Human-centred Robotics. Marisé is interested in Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction, Human-Computer Interaction and applications of Machine Learning in those areas, with accessibility and co-design as key aspects of her research. Within those areas, her research explores how the uptake of robotics systems can be improved....
2024-02-1628 min
Robot TalkSmart mobile robots for industry - Rafael LopezClaire chatted to Rafael Lopez from Robotnik Automation all about mobile robots, logistics, and inspection. Rafael Lopez has a degree in Telecommunications Engineering. He worked in research and development at Althea Productos Industriales before joining IBM as a System Engineer for wide area networks in Madrid and Barcelona. He co-founded Robotnik in 2002, where he was the Research and Development Manager, participating in and managing many EU projects. After the acquisition of Robotnik by United Robotics Group in 2023, he became Managing Director of the company. In 2017 he joined the board of Directors of the Spanish robotics technology platform...
2024-02-0919 min
Robot TalkAssistive robots inspired by biology - Virginia Ruiz GarateClaire chatted to Virginia Ruiz Garate from Mondragon University all about assistive robotics, mobility, and bio-inspired control. Virginia Ruiz Garate obtained her PhD in 2016 in bio-inspired control for leg exoskeletons at the Université Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve in Belgium. Later, she worked on new bio-inspired grasping methods for robotic hands at the Italian Institute of Technology. She then became Associate Professor in assistive robots at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory. Currently, she is a Lecturer and Researcher in Robotics at Mondragon University. Her research interests include robotic grasping and manipulation, bio-inspired control, assistive robotics and human-robot interfaces. W...
2024-02-0227 min
Robot TalkDeveloping better robotic prostheses - Josh CaputoClaire 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....
2024-01-2629 min
Robot TalkRobots on the farm - Elizabeth SklarClaire chatted to Elizabeth Sklar from the University of Lincoln all about agricultural robotics, human-robot teams, and sustainability. Elizabeth Sklar is a Professor of Agri-Robotics and Research Director at the Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology (LIAT), at the University of Lincoln, UK. Her research investigates the implementation of intelligent methodologies in the context of multi-robot teams, human-machine teaming, behaviour mining and data-backed decision making, most recently applied within the agri-food pipeline. She is co-founder of the international educational initiative RoboCupJunior and currently serves on the editorial board for the journal Current Robotics Reports. Win a...
2024-01-1936 min
Robot TalkBat-inspired robots - Rolf MuellerClaire chatted to Rolf Mueller from Virginia Tech all about biomimicry, flapping-wing flight, sensing, and artificial intelligence. Rolf Mueller has studied bat biosonar from the perspectives of biophysics and bioinspired engineering for over 20 years. He has worked on statistical signal processing of sonar signals in complex, natural environments, biosonar beamforming, as well as biomimetic sonar systems. The overarching goal of his current research is meeting the sensory information needs of autonomy in complex natural environments. Besides serving as the Lynn professor of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, he directs the University of Brunei - Virginia Tech International...
2024-01-1228 min
Robot TalkWearable soft robots - Kris DorseyClaire chatted to Kris Dorsey from Northeastern University all about wearable soft robots, healthcare and rehabilitation. Kris Dorsey is an associate professor in the departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences and a core faculty member at the Institute for Experiential Robotics at Northeastern University. Her current research interests include reconfigurable, novel morphology, and active soft sensors and the design of soft sensors for soft robot actuators and wearable medical and rehabilitation devices. Kris’ work has been recognized by an NSF CAREER award and the Emerging Leader ABIE Award in honor of...
2024-01-0518 min
Robot TalkHealthcare robots you can trust - Jims MarchangClaire chatted to Jims Marchang from Sheffield Hallam University all about security, privacy, and trust in healthcare robots. Jims Marchang completed his Ph.D. from the CSCAN Research Laboratory, University of Plymouth, UK. He is currently a Sr. Lecturer in Cybersecurity and leads a Secure Intelligent Cyber research cluster and co-lead Digital, AI, and Robotics at Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre. His research focuses on building user-centric secure-by-design and privacy-by-design solutions in healthcare technologies. Robot Talk will be taking a two-week break over the holidays, but we’ll be back in January with more fascinating guests an...
2023-12-1529 min
Robot TalkRobotic arms for healthcare - Katarzyna SzopinskaClaire chatted to Katarzyna Szopinska from KUKA all about all about software and hardware for medical robotics. Katarzyna Szopinska studied medical and mechanical engineering in both Warsaw and Munich. She got her first professional experience at Brainlab in Munich and then at KUKA where she started as mechanical engineer to later switch to portfolio and product management for the medical robotics business of KUKA, where she had been working since 2019. Katarzyna has worked on the definition of multiple software and hardware products for the medical sector, among other things on new software features for the LBR Med...
2023-12-0823 min
Robot TalkRobots for nuclear decommissioning - Rav ChunilalClaire chatted to Rav Chunilal from Sellafield all about robotics and AI for nuclear decommissioning. Rav Chunilal is the Head of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence at Sellafield Ltd, the UK's largest nuclear site. He is responsible for developing and deploying Robotics and AI technologies to decommission the site safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively. Under Rav's leadership, Sellafield Ltd and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Group has established itself as a leader in the use of Robotics and AI for nuclear decommissioning. The company has developed and deployed a wide range of robotic technologies to perform tasks such as remote inspection...
2023-12-0119 min
Robot TalkWorking effectively with robots - Ayse KucukyilmazClaire chatted to Ayse Kucukyilmaz from the University of Nottingham about collaboration, conflict and failure in human-robot interactions. Ayse Kucukyilmaz is Assistant Professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham and a founding member of the CHART research group. Her research focus is human-centered robotics, where she specialises in haptic shared and traded control for physical human-robot interaction. Her group primarily works on adjustable autonomy paradigms to enable dynamic switching behaviours between different levels of robotic autonomy (e.g. full human control vs. full autonomy) during shared control of a physical task, enabling...
2023-11-2429 min
Robot TalkMaking robots at home - Jorvon MossClaire chatted to Jorvon (Odd-Jayy) Moss from Digikey about making robots at home, and robot design and aesthetics. Commonly known as Odd-Jayy, Jorvon Moss is an accomplished Maker best known for his Robotic Oddities. Jayy’s art background, BFA in Illustration, and self-taught electronics skills have combined to help launch his career and promote the wonderful world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math). This achievement, and the many viral videos under his belt, gained him recognition from major forces in the industry; including Digi-Key Electronics, Tested Inc. with Adam Savage, various electronic and tech Faires, and as...
2023-11-1726 min
Robot TalkCulturally sensitive robots - Masoumeh (Iran) MansouriClaire chatted to Masoumeh (Iran) Mansouri from the University of Birmingham about culturally sensitive robots and planning in complex environments. Masoumeh Mansouri is an Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Birmingham. Her research includes two complementary areas: (i) developing hybrid robot planning methods for unstructured environments shared with humans, and (ii) exploring topics at the intersection of cultural theories and robotics. In the latter, her main goal is to study whether/how robots can be culturally sensitive given the broad definitions of culture in different fields of study. Win...
2023-11-1030 min
Robot TalkMaking robots look human - Carl StrathearnClaire chatted to Carl Strathearn from Edinburgh Napier University all about humanoid robots, realistic robot faces and speech. Carl Strathearn is a researcher interested in creating assistive social humanoid robots with embodied AI systems that appear, function, and interact like humans. He believes that creating realistic humanoid robots is significant to humanity as the human face is the most natural interface for human communication, and by emulating these conditions, we can increase accessibility to state-of-the-art technology for everyone and support people with specific health conditions and circumstances in their day-to-day lives. Win a Robot Talk...
2023-11-0327 min
Robot TalkRobots at sea - Ffion LlewellynClaire chatted to Ffion Llewellyn from Oshen about sea-faring robots and ocean sensing. Ffion Llewellyn graduated from Imperial College London in 2022 with a masters in Aeronautical Engineering. Following this, she joined Oshen who are building low cost, autonomous micro-vessels for remote ocean sensing. Ffion has been focused on the integration and testing of sensors onto Oshen's autonomous micro-vessels, including metocean sensors and hydrophones for the monitoring of marine mammals. Her role also includes the design and manufacture of the micro-vessels, conducting sea trials and analysing the data collected. Win a Robot Talk T-shirt ...
2023-10-2718 min
Robot TalkDexterous robotic hands - Lorenzo JamoneClaire chatted to Lorenzo Jamone from Queen Mary University of London all about robotic hands, dexterity, and the sense of touch. Lorenzo Jamone is a Senior Lecturer in Robotics at Queen Mary University of London, where he is the founder and director of the CRISP group: Cognitive Robotics and Intelligent Systems for the People. He received a PhD degree in humanoid technologies at the Italian Institute of Technology. He was previously an Associate Researcher at Waseda University in Japan, and at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal. His current research interests include cognitive robotics, robotic manipulation, f...
2023-10-2027 min
Robot TalkThe ethics of new technology - Kate DevlinClaire chatted to Kate Devlin from King's College London about the social and ethical implications of robotics and AI. We touch on a range of different topics from concerns over job losses and privacy to issues of inequality, trust and power. In the second half of the interview, we talk a bit about robotics, AI and relationships. The conversation isn’t explicit, but if you’d prefer to give that part of the conversation a miss, you can stop the podcast at around 22 minutes, when you hear the music. Kate Devlin is Reader in Artificial Inte...
2023-10-1331 min
Robot TalkIntelligent warehouse robots - Guillaume DoisyClaire chatted to Guillaume Doisy from Dexory about autonomous warehouse robots, mobile robotics, and software. Guillaume Doisy is the current Lead Systems Architect at Dexory, the leading UK robotics and AI company building state-of-the-art fully autonomous mobile robots for use in warehouses. Guillaume has a wide range of responsibilities including building the robots ability to function autonomously. The French native has significant expertise in the field of autonomous mobile robots having begun his career at French start-up Wyca as Chief Robotics Officer. Guillaume is also a long-term contributor to ROS (Robotic Operating Software), the open-source robotics software...
2023-10-0618 min
Robot TalkAdaptable robots inspired by nature - Sara Adela Abad GuamanClaire chatted to Sara Adela Abad Guaman from University College London about adaptable robots inspired by nature. Sara Adela Abad Guaman is a Lecturer at University College London's Mechanical Engineering Department. She is also the head of the Adaptable Robotics Lab. Inspired by biological organisms, Sara aims to develop robots and mechanical systems with enhanced adaptability to variable environmental conditions. Her vision is to use bioinspiration and morphological computation to address global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability. Win a Robot Talk T-shirt Exciting news! The Robot Talk T-shirt competition...
2023-09-2927 min
Strong Single and HumanEP109 - Asher Cloren - Life Rocks - Connecting Children to NatureThis week’s guest is Asher Cloran the director of The Life Rocks Foundation, an interactive earth science platform designed to help children lead healthier, happier and productive lives through becoming connected to nature. Asher is an expert in human health, development and education and provides quality information to parents and teachers to help improve parenting, teaching and childhood development.
Asher’s most powerful experiences as a child were all involving Nature. Experiencing the contrast between a public education devoid of Nature connection, and then a Steiner education rich in Nature connection – left him with strong impressions of wha...
2023-07-101h 02
Robot TalkRobot Talk Live - robotics and Science FictionRobotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous machines have become a necessity for our future world but what are the implications of robots for society and how much influence does science fiction have on how we embrace our new friends? In this special live recording at the Great Exhibition Road Festival, Claire chatted to Glyn Morgan (Science Museum), Bani Anvari (University College London) and Thrishantha Nanayakara (Imperial College London) to explore how our intelligent friends from the world of science fiction match up with state-of-the art robotics and artificial intelligence reality. Glyn Morgan is a curator of...
2023-06-2352 min
Robot TalkRobert Richardson - 3D printing, robot design, and infrastructure repairThis week, Claire chatted to Robert Richardson from the University of Leeds all about 3D printing, robot design, and infrastructure repair. Robert Richardson is Professor of Robotics in the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds, and executive chair of EPSRC UK-RAS network. His research interests include robotics for civil infrastructure inspection and repair, making smart bodies for smart robots, and robotics for 3D printing applications. As Innovation Director for University of Leeds spin out company Acuity robotics, he is working towards real world impact in civil inspection tasks. In 2011 he led an international team...
2023-06-1635 min
Robot TalkSara Bernardini - decision-making, reconfigurable robots, and oceanographyThis week, Claire chatted to Sara Bernardini from Royal Holloway University of London all about decision-making, reconfigurable robots, and oceanography. Sara Bernardini is a Professor of AI at Royal Holloway University of London, the Principal Research Scientist in AI and Data Science at the National Oceanography Centre and a Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute. Her research in decision-making for autonomous systems lies at the intersection of AI, cognitive robotics, and mathematical optimisation. Most of her work focuses on planning for single-agent and multi-agent systems to enable them to act intelligently in real time despite resource and...
2023-06-0929 min
Robot TalkJames Kell - civil infrastructure, nuclear robotics and jet engine inspectionThis week, Claire chatted to James Kell from Jacobs Engineering UK all about civil infrastructure, nuclear robotics and jet engine inspection. James Kell is Robotics Technical Director at Jacobs Engineering UK. He is responsible for the internal robotics technical strategy and is actively looking to apply the decades worth of robotics and remote handling experience that Jacobs has to the wider market in other sectors. The overall intention is to extend the life of critical national infrastructure like roads, rail, and water. James's previously worked for Rolls-Royce where his role was to develop keyhole surgery technologies to...
2023-06-0219 min
Robot TalkElena De Momi - surgical robotics, artificial intelligence, and the ICRA robotics conferenceThis week, Claire chatted to Elena De Momi from the the Polytechnic University of Milan all about surgical robotics, artificial intelligence, and the upcoming ICRA robotics conference in London. Elena De Momi received her MSc in Biomedical Engineering in 2002, PhD in Bioengineering in 2006, and she is currently Associate Professor in the Electronic Information and Bioengineering Department (DEIB) of Politecnico di Milano. She is co-founder of the Neuroengineering and Medical Robotics Laboratory, in 2008, being responsible of the Medical Robotics section. Her academic interests include computer vision and image-processing, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and simulators, teleoperation, haptics, medical robotics, h...
2023-05-2617 min
Robot TalkNick Hawes - robot decision-making, long-term autonomy, and artificial intelligenceThis week, Claire chatted to Nick Hawes from the University of Oxford all about robot decision-making, long-term autonomy, and artificial intelligence. Nick Hawes is a Professor of AI and Robotics at the University of Oxford, where he directs the Oxford Robotics Institute (ORI). Within the ORI he leads the Goal-Oriented Autonomous Long-Lived Systems (GOALS) group which researches decision-making for autonomous systems under uncertainty, including robots and human-robot teams. Recent highlights include the deployment of an autonomous mission planning stack on a quadruped at an active nuclear site, and on an autonomous underwater vehicle harvesting data from a...
2023-05-1933 min
Robot TalkGeorgia Chalvatzaki - mobile assistive robots, learning, and planningThis week, Claire chatted to Georgia Chalvatzaki from the Technical University of Darmstadt all about mobile assistive robots, learning, and planning. Check out the trailer for the UK-RAS Network's one-of-a-kind livestream event, Robot Lab Live, returning to YouTube this June: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC8LBdjCtD8. Join us for Robot Talk Live Robot Talk will be returning for another live episode recording in June! Claire will be chatting about Robotics and Science Fiction with three very special guests at Imperial College London at 1pm on Sunday 18th June, as part of the G...
2023-05-1224 min
Robot TalkHelmut Hauser - soft robotics, sensing, and smart robot bodiesThis week, Claire chatted to Helmut Hauser from the University of Bristol all about soft robotics, sensing, and smart robot bodies. Check out the video of the swimming trout that Helmut talks about here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtuHgl35TT4&ab_channel=LauderLab Join us for Robot Talk Live We're thrilled to announce that Robot Talk will be returning for another live episode recording in June! Claire will be chatting about Robotics and Science Fiction with three very special guests at Imperial College London at 1pm on Sunday 18th June, as part o...
2023-05-0533 min
Robot TalkCarlotta Berry - robotics education, science outreach, and increasing participationThis week, Claire chatted to Carlotta Berry from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology all about robotics education, science outreach, and increasing participation. Join us for Robot Talk Live We're thrilled to announce that Robot Talk will be returning for another live episode recording in June! Claire will be chatting about Robotics and Science Fiction with three very special guests at Imperial College London at 1pm on Sunday 18th June, as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival and the UK Festival of Robotics. Find out more: https://www.greatexhibitionroadfestival.co.uk/event/robotics-and-science-fiction/ Ca...
2023-04-2819 min
Robot TalkFrancesco Giorgio-Serchi - underwater robots, weather-proofing, and soft roboticsThis week, Claire chatted to Francesco Giorgio-Serchi from the University of Edinburgh all about underwater robots, weather-proofing, and soft robotics. Join us for Robot Talk LiveWe're thrilled to announce that Robot Talk will be returning for another live episode recording in June! Claire will be chatting about Robotics and Science Fiction with three very special guests at Imperial College London at 1pm on Sunday 18th June, as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival and the UK Festival of Robotics. Find out more: https://www.greatexhibitionroadfestival.co.uk/event/robotics-and-science-fiction/ Fr...
2023-04-2126 min
Robot TalkKat Thiel - collaborative robots, micro-factories, and fashion manufacturingThis week, Claire chatted to Kat Thiel from Manchester Metropolitan University all about collaborative robots, micro-factories, and fashion manufacturing. Kat Thiel is a Senior Research Associate at Manchester Metropolitan University's Manchester Fashion Institute with a research focus on Fashion Practice Research and Industry 4.0., investigating agile cobotic tooling solutions for localised fashion manufacturing. Previously a researcher at the Royal College of Art, she worked on the Future Fashion Factory report 'Benchmarking the Feasibility of the Micro-Factory Model for the UK Fashion Industry' and co-produced produced the highly influential report ‘Reshoring UK Garment Manufacturing with Automation’ with Innovate UK KTN.
2023-04-1417 min
Robot TalkMaitreyee Wairagkar - neurotechnology, artificial intelligence, and assistive roboticsThis week, Claire chatted to Maitreyee Wairagkar from the University of California all about neurotechnology, artificial intelligence, and assistive robotics. Maitreyee Wairagkar is a postdoctoral fellow at University of California, Davis, developing assistive neurotechnology using artificial intelligence to restore lost function in people with neurological disorders. She builds brain-computer interfaces to enable people with severe motor and speech impairments to communicate directly via their brain signals by breaking barriers between humans and technology. Previously, she was at Imperial College London and UK Dementia Research Institute where she developed conversational AI and social robots for dementia support.
2023-03-3129 min
Robot TalkThom Kirwan-Evans - computer vision, machine learning and robots in industry.This week, Claire chatted to Thom Kirwan-Evans from Origami Labs all about computer vision, machine learning and robots in industry. Thom Kirwan-Evans is a co-founder at Origami Labs where he applies the latest AI research to solve complex real world problems. Thom started as a physicist at Dstl working with camera systems before moving to an engineering consultancy and then setting up his own company last year. A keen runner and father of two, a key aim in starting his business was a good work-life balance.
2023-03-2429 min
Robot TalkAlessandra Rossi - social robotics, theory of mind, and robots playing football.This week, Claire chatted to Alessandra Rossi from the University of Naples all about social robotics, theory of mind, and robots playing football. Alessandra Rossi is Assistant Professor at the University of Naples Federico II in Italy. Her PhD thesis was part of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie ETN SECURE project at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK, and she is now a Visiting Lecturer and Researcher there. Her research interests include human-robot interaction, social robotics, explainable AI, multi-agent systems and user profiling. She is the team leader of RoboCup team Bold Hearts at the University of Hertfordshire...
2023-03-1728 min
Robot TalkEdward Timpson - robots in the military, uncrewed vehicles, and cyber securityThis week, Claire chatted to Edward Timpson from QinetiQ all about robots in the military, uncrewed vehicles, and cyber security. Ed Timpson joined QinetiQ in 2020 after 11 years serving in the Royal Navy as a Weapons Engineering Officer (Submarines) across a number of ranks. Joining QinetiQ Target Systems as a Project Engineer and also managing the Hardware team, he had success in developing new capabilities for the Banshee family of UAS. He then moved into future systems within QinetiQ as a Principal Systems Engineer specialising in complex trials and experimentation of uncrewed vehicles. He now heads up the R...
2023-03-1032 min
Robot TalkMaria Bauza Villalonga - robot learning, transferable skills, and general AIThis week, Claire chatted to Maria Bauza Villalonga from DeepMind all about robot learning, transferable skills, and general AI. Maria Bauza Villalonga is research scientist at DeepMind. In 2022, she earned her PhD in Robotics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, working with Prof. Alberto Rodriguez. Her research focuses on achieving precise robotic generalization by learning probabilistic models of the world that allow robots to reuse their skills across multiple tasks with high success. Maria has received several fellowships including Facebook, NVIDIA, and LaCaixa.
2023-03-0320 min
Robot TalkJonathan Aitken - manufacturing, sewer inspection, and robots in the real worldThis week, Claire chatted to Jonathan Aitken from the University of Sheffield all about manufacturing, sewer inspection, and robots in the real world. Jonathan Aitken is a Senior University Teacher in Robotics at the University of Sheffield. His research is focused on building useful, useable, and expandable architectures for future robotics systems. Most recently this has involved building complex digital twins for collaborative robots in manufacturing processes and investigating localisation for robots operating in sewer pipes. His teaching focuses on providing students with the tools to bring distributed computing to complex robotic processes.
2023-02-2437 min
Robot TalkYang Gao - space robotics and planetary explorationThis week, Claire chatted to Yang Gao from the University of Surrey all about space robotics and planetary exploration. Yang Gao is Professor of Space Autonomous Systems and Founding Head of the STAR LAB that specializes in robotic sensing, perception, visual guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) and biomimetic mechanisms for industrial applications in extreme environments. She brings over 20 years of research experience in developing robotics and autonomous systems, in which she has been the principal investigator of over 30 inter/nationally teamed projects and involved in real-world mission development.
2023-02-1725 min
Robot TalkIgnazio Maria Viola - aerodynamics, dandelion-inspired drones, and swarm sensingThis week, Claire chatted to Ignazio Maria Viola from the University of Edinburgh all about aerodynamics, dandelion-inspired drones, and swarm sensing. Ignazio Maria Viola is Professor of Fluid Mechanics and Bioinspired Engineering at the School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, and Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. He is the recipient of the ERC Consolidator Grant Dandidrone to explore the unsteady aerodynamics of dandelion-inspired drones.
2023-02-1018 min
Robot TalkEmily S. Cross - neuroscience, social learning, and human-robot interactionThis week, Claire chatted to Emily S. Cross from the University of Glasgow and Western Sydney University all about neuroscience, social learning, and human-robot interaction. Emily S. Cross is a Professor of Social Robotics at the University of Glasgow, and a Professor of Human Neuroscience at the MARCS Institute at Western Sydney University. Using interactive learning tasks, brain scanning, and dance, acrobatics and robots, she and her Social Brain in Action Laboratory team explore how we learn by watching others throughout the lifespan, how action experts' brains enable them to perform physical skills so exquisitely, and the...
2023-02-0325 min
Robot TalkSabine Hauert - swarm robotics, nanorobots, and environmental monitoringThis week, Claire chatted to Sabine Hauert from the University of Bristol all about swarm robotics, nanorobots, and environmental monitoring. Sabine Hauert is Associate Professor of Swarm Engineering at University of Bristol. She leads a team of 20 researchers working on making swarms for people, and across scales, from nanorobots for cancer treatment, to larger robots for environmental monitoring, or logistics. Previously she worked at MIT and EPFL. She is President and Executive Trustee of non-profits robohub.org and aihub.org, which connect the robotics and AI communities to the public.
2023-01-2731 min
Robot TalkDan Stoyanov - robotic vision, surgical robotics, and artificial intelligenceThis week, Claire chatted to Dan Stoyanov from University College London all about robotic vision, surgical robotics, and artificial intelligence. Dan Stoyanov, FREng, FIET, is a Professor at UCL Computer Science holding a Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies. He is Director of the Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS), a large research centre combining engineering and clinical expertise. His research interests are focused on surgical robotics, surgical data science and the development of surgical AI systems for clinical use. He is Chief Scientist at Digital Surgery, and he co-founded Odin Vision...
2023-01-2025 min
Robot TalkMollie Claypool - robot house-building, zero-carbon architecture, and community participationThis week, Claire chatted to Mollie Claypool from Automated Architecture all about robot house-building, zero-carbon architecture, and community participation. Mollie Claypool is CEO of AUAR Ltd, a tech company revolutionising house building using automation. Mollie is a leading architecture theorist focused on issues of social justice highlighted by increasing automation in architecture and design production. She is also Associate Professor in Architecture at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL.
2023-01-1321 min
Robot TalkChris Atkeson - humanoid robots, human-aware environments and the future of AI and roboticsThis week, Claire chatted to Chris Atkeson from Carnegie Mellon University all about humanoid robots, human-aware environments and the future of AI and robotics. Chris Atkeson is a professor in the Robotics Institute and Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on developing humanoid and super-human robots. His work inspired aspects of the design of the character Baymax (an inflatable robot that takes care of people) in the Disney movie Big Hero 6. His life goal is to fulfil the science fiction vision of machines that achieve human levels of competence in perceiving, thinking, and...
2023-01-0636 min
Robot TalkBonus: A day in the lifeAs a special treat for the holiday season, Claire asked her guests some extra questions about their careers, their advice, and their favourite robots. In this clip, UK roboticists describe their daily lives working in robotics.
2022-12-2314 min
Robot TalkBonus: Could you be friends with a robot?As a special treat for the holiday season, Claire asked her guests some extra questions about their careers, their advice, and their favourite robots. In this clip, UK roboticists share their thoughts on becoming friends with robots.
2022-12-2210 min
Robot TalkBonus: What is your favourite machine or tool?As a special treat for the holiday season, Claire asked her guests some extra questions about their careers, their advice, and their favourite robots. In this clip, we hear from UK roboticists about their favourite machine or tool in the lab.
2022-12-2108 min
Robot TalkBonus: What is your advice for a robotics career?As a special treat for the holiday season, Claire asked her guests some extra questions about their careers, their advice, and their favourite robots. In this clip, UK roboticists share their advice for getting started in a career in robotics.
2022-12-2012 min
Robot TalkBonus: What is your favourite fictional robot?As a special treat for the holiday season, Claire asked her guests some extra questions about their careers, their advice, and their favourite robots. In the first clip, we hear from UK roboticists about their favourite fictional robots.
2022-12-1906 min
Robot TalkAna Cavalcanti - software development, testing and verification, and autonomous mobile robotsThis week, Claire chatted to Ana Cavalcanti from the University of York all about software development, testing and verification, and autonomous mobile robots. This is our last episode before we take a little break for the holiday season. Robot Talk will be back in the New Year on the 6th January. Ana Cavalcanti is a Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies. She is the leader of the RoboStar Centre of Excellence on Software Engineering for Robotics. The RoboStar approach to model-based software engineering complements current practices of design and verification of robotic systems...
2022-12-1624 min
Robot TalkSina Sareh - industrial inspection, soft robotics, and robotic grippersThis week, Claire chatted to Sina Sareh from the Royal College of Art all about industrial inspection, soft robotics, and robotic grippers. Sina Sareh is the Academic Leader in Robotics at Royal College of Art. He is currently a Reader (Associate Professor) in Robotics and Design Intelligence at RCA, and a Fellow of EPSRC, whose research develops technological solutions to problems of human safety, access, and performance involved in a range of industrial operations. Dr Sareh holds a PhD from the University of Bristol, 2012, and served as an impact assessor of Sub-panel 12: Engineering in the assessment phase...
2022-12-0916 min
Robot TalkAmanda Prorok - self-driving cars, industrial robots, and multi-robot systemsThis week, Claire chatted to Amanda Prorok from the University of Cambridge all about self-driving cars, industrial robots, and multi-robot systems. Our t-shirt competition has now ended - congratulations to our five lucky winners! Amanda Prorok is Professor of Collective Intelligence and Robotics in the Department of Computer Science and Technology at Cambridge University, and a Fellow of Pembroke College. She is interested in finding practical methods for hard coordination problems that arise in multi-robot and multi-agent systems.
2022-12-0221 min
Robot TalkSimon Wanstall - soft robotics, robotic prostheses, and taking inspiration from natureThis week, Claire talked to Simon Wanstall from the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics all about soft robotics, robotic prostheses and taking inspiration from nature. To celebrate the new season of Robot Talk, we’re running a competition to win one of our awesome t-shirts! To enter, either share the latest episode on Twitter and tag @UKRobotics or on LinkedIn and tag the EPSRC UK-RAS Network. Five lucky listeners will be randomly selected at the end of November to receive a free t-shirt – we’ve got a unisex version and a fitted version for ladies. To find out more a...
2022-11-2520 min
Robot TalkSéverin Lemaignan - social robots, behaviour, and robot-assisted human-human interactionsThis week, Claire chatted to Séverin Lemaignan from PAL Robotics all about social robots, behaviour, and robot-assisted human-human interactions. To celebrate the new season of Robot Talk, we’re running a competition to win one of our awesome t-shirts! To enter, either share the latest episode on Twitter and tag @UKRobotics or on LinkedIn and tag the EPSRC UK-RAS Network. Five lucky listeners will be randomly selected at the end of November to receive a free t-shirt – we’ve got a unisex version and a fitted version for ladies. To find out more and read the terms a...
2022-11-1829 min
Robot TalkFerdinando Rodriguez y Baena - medical robotics, robotic surgery, and translational researchThis week, Claire chatted to Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena from Imperial College London about medical robotics, robotic surgery, and translational research. To celebrate the new season of Robot Talk, we’re running a competition to win one of our awesome t-shirts! To enter, either share the latest episode on Twitter and tag @UKRobotics or on LinkedIn and tag the EPSRC UK-RAS Network. Five lucky listeners will be randomly selected at the end of November to receive a free t-shirt – we’ve got a unisex version and a fitted version for ladies. To find out more and read the te...
2022-11-1124 min
Robot TalkGopal Ramchurn - artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and renewable energyThis week, Claire chatted to Gopal Ramchurn from the University of Southampton about artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and renewable energy. To celebrate the new season of Robot Talk, we’re running a competition to win one of our awesome t-shirts! To enter, either share the latest episode on Twitter and tag @UKRobotics or on LinkedIn and tag the EPSRC UK-RAS Network. Five lucky listeners will be randomly selected at the end of November to receive a free t-shirt – we’ve got a unisex version and a fitted version for ladies. To find out more and read the terms...
2022-11-0419 min
Robot TalkMickey Li - aerial robotics, building inspection and multi-robot teamsThis week, Claire talked to Mickey Li from the University of Bristol about aerial robotics, building inspection and multi-robot teams. To celebrate the new season of Robot Talk, we’re running a competition to win one of our awesome t-shirts! To enter, either share the latest episode on Twitter and tag @UKRobotics or on LinkedIn and tag the EPSRC UK-RAS Network. Five lucky listeners will be randomly selected at the end of November to receive a free t-shirt – we’ve got a unisex version and a fitted version for ladies. To find out more and read the terms...
2022-10-2822 min
Robot TalkIveta Eimontaite - psychology, human-robot interaction, and industrial robotsThis week, Claire talked to Dr Iveta Eimontaite from Cranfield University all about psychology, human-robot interaction, and industrial robots. To celebrate the new season of Robot Talk, we’re running a competition to win one of our awesome t-shirts! We've expanded and extended the competition and there are now two ways to enter - share the latest episode on Twitter and tag @UKRobotics or on LinkedIn and tag the EPSRC UK-RAS Network. Five lucky listeners will be randomly selected at the end of November to receive a free t-shirt – we’ve got a unisex version and a fitted...
2022-10-2120 min
Robot TalkSean Katagiri - underwater robots, offshore energy, and industrial roboticsThis week, Claire chatted to Sean Katagiri from The National Robotarium all about underwater robots, offshore energy, and other industrial applications of robotics. To celebrate the new season of Robot Talk, we’re running a competition to win one of our awesome t-shirts! For a chance to win, all you have to do is share the latest episode of Robot Talk on Twitter and tag @UKRobotics. Five lucky listeners will be randomly selected at the end of October to receive a free t-shirt – we’ve got a unisex version and a fitted version for ladies. To find out mo...
2022-10-1414 min
Robot TalkPaul Dominick Baniqued - brain-computer interface technology and rehabilitation roboticsThis week, Claire talked to Dr Paul Dominick Baniqued from The University of Manchester all about brain-computer interface technology and rehabilitation robotics. To celebrate the new season of Robot Talk, we’re running a competition to win one of our awesome t-shirts! For a chance to win, all you have to do is share the latest episode of Robot Talk on Twitter and tag @UKRobotics. Five lucky listeners will be randomly selected at the end of October to receive a free t-shirt – we’ve got a unisex version and a fitted version for ladies. To find out more a...
2022-10-0710 min
Robot TalkRoopika Ravikanna - farm robots, fruit-picking, and human-robot interactionIn the first episode of the new season, Claire chatted to Roopika Ravikanna from the University of Lincoln all about farm robots, fruit-picking and human-robot interaction. To celebrate the new season, we’re running a competition to win one of our awesome Robot Talk t-shirts! For a chance to win, all you have to do is share the latest episode of Robot Talk on Twitter and tag @UKRobotics. Five lucky listeners will be randomly selected at the end of October to receive a free t-shirt – we’ve got a unisex version and a fitted version for ladies. To fin...
2022-09-3019 min
Robot TalkRobot Talk Live — Robotics in the HomeThe first robots went into space over 60 years ago and robotics have become a familiar sight in many industrial settings, but it took a bit longer for robots to make their way into our homes. Robotic vacuum cleaners first started to make an appearance in homes about 20 years ago now, and according to a recent survey by the UK-RAS Network, 28% of people say that robots are now an occasional part of their everyday lives while 13% say they are fully integrated into their day to day lives. But home robots can do a lot more than clean the floors. Social...
2022-06-2459 min
Night White Skies092 _ Chris Forman and Claire Asher _ 'Brave Green World'Chris Forman is a physicist with a PhD in protein engineering, conducting research at Northwestern University into the organization of soft matter using experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches. Claire Asher is a biologist with a PhD in evolution and genetics, specializing in the behavior of ants. A widely published science writer, she has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Bloomsbury Theatre and appeared on BBC 4 and BBC Radio 4. *** Night White Skies is a program about our design futures as both the environment and our human bodies are now open for design. ...
2021-12-2750 min
Robot TalkRobot Swarms: flocking togetherWelcome to a brand-new season of Robot Talk, hosted by Dr Claire Asher! In season 1 we talked about many different types of robot, working alone or directly with humans. One thing we didn’t get to touch upon very much is when robots work together with other robots, for example, as part of a swarm. In the first episode of the new season, Claire chats to two roboticists working on swarm robotics: Merihan Alhafnawi (University of Bristol) and Dr John Oyekan (The University of Sheffield). Merihan Alhafnawi is a Robotics and Autonomous Systems PhD researcher at...
2021-09-2428 min
Robot TalkRobot Talk Live — Robots into the WildWe often hear about robots working in controlled, predictable environments, like an assembly line or an operating theatre, but as a former field biologist, Claire is most interested in what happens when we take robots outside into wild environments, where everything — from the elements to the local wildlife — seems to be against you. In this special live recording for the UK Festival of Robotics, Claire chatted to Sophie Armanini (TU Munich / Imperial College London), Ben Scott-Robinson (Small Robot Company) and Matthew Ryan Tucker (University of Bristol). Find out more about the UK Festival of Robotics here...
2021-06-2559 min
Backstraight Boys (& Girl) Athletics ChatCar Parks, Fist Fights, and More Champagne than Sense : Our 'Fast Girls' Special with Dina Asher-Smith and Amy HuntSend us a text'One Dream, One Team, One Chance', reads the tagline of Regan Hall's 2012 masterpiece, 'Fast Girls'.Those of us at Backstraight HQ suggest the following might be more accurate: 'a plethora of inaccuracies, 91 minutes of madness, one seriously feel-good movie'. It is brilliant and bonkers and almost as full of drama as it is famous athletics faces amongst the extras (seriously; look at the credits. EVERYONE is in this film), and it's the perfect choice for our first Backstraight Film Club.Similarly ideal are our two guests this w...
2020-07-221h 17Backstraight Boys (& Girl) Athletics ChatInspiration Games, Backstraight Film Club, and Athletics Baby Royalty: July's Lockdown RamblingsSend us a textAthletics is creeping back - from the Showdown in Otown to the Inspiration Games. In the former, Noah Lyles beat Justin Gatlin over 100 metres. In the latter, Noah Lyles beat no one over 185 metres. The world's gone mad.Bowerman TC continue to tear things up across the pond, Allyson Felix is looking *quick*, and we still can't bring ourselves to get excited by 100 yard dashes or 3 x 100m relays.There's also been the patter of tiny feet down the home straight: welcome along, Olympia Lightning Bolt and Ruby Elizabeth...
2020-07-1235 min
Living in this Queer BodyDispatches from our Queer Bodies in Pandemic Times (#10 EMBODIED TESTIMONY)This is a really special episode to me. Over the past couple of months a small group of folks have been recognizing, allowing, investigating and nurturing their embodied testimony in the LITQB Program Intensive (all while living in pandemic times). A few folks were willing to share their reflections with you. Deep gratitude to the entire group. You shared so deeply. Featured in this episode: Leigh Hendrix (@leighhendrix) and Claire Wirick (@clairey.sage).
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2020-05-1811 minBackstraight Boys (& Girl) Athletics ChatShot Putters in the Stratosphere, Kat and Dina in the History Books, and Elephants in the Room: Our Big Doha Review PodSend us a textWhere do we begin..? With the empty seats? The fainting marathon runners? Alberto Salazar's ban? With the DQs that were and weren't? Or the fact that we missed experiencing Mihambo's 7.30m live because it was necessary to watch (another) Mo Farah montage?OR - how about we talk about the world records? The African fans roaring on their athletes in the distance events without stopping dancing for even a second? The women returning to the sport to earn the titles of both 'mother' and 'world-beater'? Mutaz Barshim shrugging off gravity with...
2019-10-081h 12Backstraight Boys (& Girl) Athletics ChatBounding Ben, Dashing Dina, and Heights-Hitting Holly : The Race to Represent at British ChampsSend us a textNewly-crowned British 100m Champion, Ojie Edoburun said something very wise to us this weekend: ‘you can be a circuit guy, or you can be a championship guy.’ Now, in an ideal world, you’d be both, but that’s no easy feat, and it’s a rare old athlete who’d pick Diamond League consistency over the chance to etch their names into the history books, and clinch silverware when big performances matter the most. The British Champs aren’t the Worlds or Olympics, but they sure do run the rule over ou...
2019-08-281h 18
Backstraight Boys (& Girl) Athletics Chat#28 - Ice Creams, Henry VIII, and War Paint: A Little Bit of Everything with National Record Holder Dina Asher-SmithSend us a textDina Asher-Smith believed she was in mortal peril during her first ever race: a cross country meet at primary school, entered in exchange for the promise of an ice cream. Thank goodness her sweet tooth was stronger than her reluctance to take part; the thought of a Dina-less athletics doesn't bear thinking about. Listing her achievements here seems silly for three reasons: A) she's the darling of British sprinting, so we all know them already B) there are loads of them, and there's only a finite amount of space for these descriptions C) the...
2018-06-281h 05
Backstraight Boys (& Girl) Athletics Chat#27 - Speedspiration, Hype Tracks, and the 23-second barrier: Our UK Sprint Queen SpecialSend us a textThe ladies featured here might be super speedy - they're all bona fide sprint sensations - but this episode certainly isn't. It's an epic, 90-minute romp through some of the biggest names in British sprinting: Jodie Wiliams (06:51), Shannon Hylton (25:26), Beth Dobbin (33:04), Paula Dunn (51:00), Abi Oyepitan (61:02), and Dina Asher-Smith (78:14). Tell us about it; we've no idea how we managed to persuade such sprint queens onto our little pod, either... Eight UK athletes currently hold the European A standard of 23.20, which is both fantastic and a sign of how far sprinting has come for this country's...
2018-06-261h 30