Robot Talk — Listen to the Podcast

Robot Talk

About the show

Join us each week as we explore the exciting world of robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous machines. Each episode, Dr Claire Asher — science communicator and robot enthusiast — chats with roboticists from around the world to find out how their cutting-edge research is influencing the future of every aspect of science, technology, and engineering, from the mundane to the extraordinary.

Newest episodes

Robots in the real world - Daniela Shchegelskaya

Nov 13, 2026 32 min

Claire chatted to Daniela Shchegelskaya from the University of Twente about getting robots to operate reliably in safety-critical environments. Daniela Shchegelskaya is an electronics and robotics engineer specialising in autonomous systems, control engineering, and Al-driven robotics for industrial and safety-critical environments. She works on deploying real-world autonomous robots beyond lab conditions, focusing on reliability, connectivity, and system-level design. At Elimpus, she works on the integration of Boston Dynamics' Spot for inspections in live power substations, including autonomous navigation, network connectivity, remote diagnostics, data collection and system-level reliability. Help shape the future of robotics. Join the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society - with over 26,000 members worldwide and around 78 conferences and workshops. Learn more at ieee-ras.org. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robot sensing inspired by nature - Dexter Shepherd

Nov 6, 2026 33 min

Claire chatted to Dexter Shepherd from the University of Sussex about using touch sensing to help robots understand and adapt to their environment. Dexter Shepherd is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Sussex, exploring machine learning for bio-inspired tactile sensing and robotic locomotion. His work combines embedded AI systems, spatial-temporal models, and reinforcement learning to enable robots to classify textures, orient themselves, and adapt their movements. Beyond his research, Dexter leads and coordinates AI training initiatives in Africa with making electronics and applying AI on embedded devices. Help shape the future of robotics. Join the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society - with over 26,000 members worldwide and around 78 conferences and workshops. Learn more at ieee-ras.org. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Advancing robotics with novel electronics - Zlatka Stoeva

Oct 30, 2026 28 min

Claire chatted to Zlatka Stoeva from DZP Technologies about flexible, stretchable and soft printed electronics for dexterous robots. Zlatka Stoeva is a founder and managing director of DZP Technologies, a Cambridge-based company specialising in advanced materials and novel forms of electronics. Zlatka's background is in materials chemistry, and she developed the innovative electronic materials which set the foundation for the company current portfolio of flexible, stretchable and soft electronics. DZP Technologies ventured into robotics during an ARIA-funded project, focused on printed electronics components for the dexterous robot. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/

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All episodes

Robots in the real world - Daniela Shchegelskaya

Nov 13, 2026 32 min

Robot sensing inspired by nature - Dexter Shepherd

Nov 6, 2026 33 min

Advancing robotics with novel electronics - Zlatka Stoeva

Oct 30, 2026 28 min

Automating construction - Jan Petrš

Oct 23, 2026 26 min

Claire chatted to Jan Petrš from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Déploya Robotics about novel robot designs for construction and architecture. Jan Petrš is a roboticist, architect, and entrepreneur working at the intersection of robotics and construction. He is currently the co-founder of Déploya Robotics, an EPFL spin-off developing deployable robotic systems for automated façade installation. Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher at EPFL's Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, where he focused on tensegrity robotics. His PhD research at the Czech Technical University focused on developing a robotic system combining reconfigurable and soft robotics for architectural and construction applications. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/

Evolving robot bodies and brains - Rika Antonova

Oct 16, 2026 26 min

Claire chatted to Rika Antonova from the University of Cambridge about using artificial intelligence to develop complimentary robot hardware and algorithms. Rika Antonova is an Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge. Her research interests include co-design, automated algorithm discovery, data-efficient reinforcement learning, exploration, active learning, and robotics. After completing a research Master's degree at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and a PhD at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Rika undertook a Computing Innovation Fellowship at Stanford University. Before that, she was a senior software engineer at Google. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/

Robots behind the research - Kushant Patel

Oct 9, 2026 19 min

Claire chatted to Kushant Patel from Brookhaven National Laboratory about robots that work in scientific facilities, such as particle accelerators. Kushant Patel builds software that helps robots and instruments perceive, map, and move through the physical world. After completing a Master's in Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo, he spent two years at the University of California, Berkeley teaching quadruped robots to map and inspect nuclear material, and a year at the University of California, Davis building closed-loop brain-computer interfaces. At Brookhaven National Laboratory, he is developing control systems for advanced synchrotron beamlines. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/

Bonus Episode: Marine robotics' journey through different lenses

Oct 7, 2026 1 hr 1 min

Last month, Claire hosted a panel discussion at AUV 2026 exploring how progress in marine autonomy resonates with different audiences, from engineers who are developing the technology, to the end users in science, industry and defence, and the young people who will become the next generation of engineers. She was joined by five panellists: Gwyn Griffiths, Daniel Hook, Emma Curtis, Sara Aldhaheri, and Edith-Clare Hall. This bonus episode is brought to you by the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society and the AUV Southampton organising committee, in partnership with Cellula Robotics and Sonardyne International. Get access to the full catalogue of bonus episodes by becoming a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Bonus Episode: Restoring marine ecosystems with robots

Oct 5, 2026 19 min

During my recent visit to The National Robotarium in Edinburgh, I was lucky enough to get the chance to speak to some of the Robotarium's resident companies. In this interview, I talked to Niall McGrath, CEO of Robocean, a company building and deploying robots to restore seagrass meadows – one of the most important marine ecosystems on Earth. This episode was made possible by UK RAS STEPS, a programme supporting Research Technical Professionals in robotics and autonomous systems in the UK.

Accelerating robot learning - Michelle Lu

Oct 2, 2026 29 min

Claire chatted to Michelle Lu from Vsim Technology about using simulation and artificial intelligence to teach robots new skills. Michelle Lu is co-founder and CEO of Vsim Technology. She was previously a Director of Simulation Technology at NVIDIA, where she and her co-founder created the world's first end-to-end GPU-accelerated reinforcement learning (RL) framework, Isaac Gym, which set the template for how modern GPU-accelerated simulation-based RL is performed in robotics. In 2022, Michelle and her co-founder left NVIDIA to create Vsim, driven to solve the limitations that plague simulation-based robotics AI: efficiency, scalability and the sim-to-real gap. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/

Robots helping people - Aaron Edsinger

Sep 25, 2026 26 min

Claire chatted to Aaron Edsinger from Hello Robot about their Stretch robots that can help people with mobility issues live more independently. Aaron Edsinger is CEO and Co-Founder of Hello Robot, a robotics company dedicated to developing practical, safe, and accessible robots for people. With a passion for building robots and robot companies, Aaron has founded four companies focused on bringing human collaborative robots to the consumer, manufacturing, healthcare and research markets. As Robotics Director at Google, he led the business, product and technical development of two of Google's central investments in robotics, and helped to define the overall robotics strategy. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/

Bonus Episode: Revolutionising agriculture with 'grain-swimming' robots

Sep 21, 2026 18 min

During my recent visit to The National Robotarium in Edinburgh, I was lucky enough to get the chance to speak to some of the Robotarium's resident companies. In this interview, I spoke to Lorenzo Conti, Founder and CEO of Crover, a company developing robots for autonomous grain storage management. This episode was made possible by UK RAS STEPS, a programme supporting Research Technical Professionals in robotics and autonomous systems in the UK.

Bonus Episode: Giving robots the power of human touch

Sep 21, 2026 20 min

During my recent visit to The National Robotarium in Edinburgh, I was lucky enough to get the chance to speak to some of the Robotarium's resident companies. In this interview, I chatted to Vladimir Ivan, Vice President of Robotics at Touchlab, a company developing e-skins to give robots the power of human touch. This episode was made possible by UK RAS STEPS, a programme supporting Research Technical Professionals in robotics and autonomous systems in the UK.

Bonus Episode: Behind the scenes at the UK's leading robotics centre

Sep 17, 2026 1 hr 9 min

Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to get a behind the scenes tour of The National Robotarium, a global robotics research institute based at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Thomas McGravie, Senior Technician at the National Robotarium, showed me around their ground-breaking facilities. I also spoke to Steve Maclaren, Chief Operating Officer at The National Robotarium about the centre's history, goals and successes so far, and I had a brief chat with a humanoid robot called Ameca. During my visit, I also had the opportunity to interview three of the Robotarium's resident companies: Touchlab, Robocean and Crover. Watch this space for those interviews publishing soon! This episode was made possible by UK RAS STEPS, a programme supporting Research Technical Professionals in robotics and autonomous systems in the UK. Find out more about The National Robotarium and their upcoming events: https://thenationalrobotarium.com/

Bonus Episode: Robotics for Sustainability (ERF 2026)

Aug 13, 2026 32 min

This bonus episode features interviews from academic and industry experts at this year's European Robotics Forum in Stavanger, Norway. During the conference, there were several workshops on sustainability, conservation, and environmental issues and I spoke to some of the presenters and attendees to find out about their reflections on the workshops. This bonus episode was produced in collaboration with euRobotics — an international non-profit association that aims to boost European robotics research, development, and innovation.

Bonus Episode: Drones in Challenging Environments (ERF 2026)

Aug 13, 2026 17 min

This bonus episode features interviews from academic and industry experts at this year's European Robotics Forum in Stavanger, Norway. During the conference, I attended a workshop on 'Drones for Difficult and Challenging Applications', which focussed on recent successes and outstanding challenges for aerial robots in a range of fields including healthcare, inspection, and maintenance. This bonus episode was produced in collaboration with euRobotics — an international non-profit association that aims to boost European robotics research, development, and innovation.

The robot doctor will see you now - Robot Talk Live

Jun 26, 2026 50 min

Since the first robot-assisted surgery was performed, over 40 years ago, major advances in robotics, computer vision and artificial intelligence have fundamentally changed medicine and healthcare. Innovative new technologies are already aiding skilled medical professionals in diagnosis, surgery, rehabilitation and beyond. But many questions remain: What ethical issues arise as medical tools become increasingly autonomous? How do we regulate technologies that can learn and change over time? And how can we ensure that cutting-edge medical devices are accessible to all? In this special live recording at Imperial College London as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival, Claire chatted to George Mylonas (Imperial College London), Antonia Tzemanaki (University of Bristol) and Tom Vercauteren (King's College London) about robotics and AI in medicine and healthcare. George Mylonas is an Associate Professor in Robotics and Technology in Cancer at Imperial College London, and the director of the Human-centred Automation, Robotics and Monitoring in Surgery lab at The Hamlyn Centre, Institute of Global Health Innovation and the Department of Surgery & Cancer, Faculty of Medicine. He is leading research in the areas of surgical robotics, soft robotics, minimal access surgical technology, perceptual human-robot and human-computer interfaces, and smart data-driven operating theatres. He is a member of the European Association of Endoscopic Surgery Technology Committee. Antonia Tzemanaki is a Senior Lecturer in Robotics at the University of Bristol and a core member of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory. She leads the Dexterous Manipulation and Wearable Robotics group which develops robotic simulators and interventions, including robotic needle steering, abdominal, urology, skull and hand models, for surgical and physical therapy treatments of disease including cancers, neurological, prostate and urinary disorders. The group provides wide expertise in precision manipulation, ro...

Collaborative haptic systems - Allison Okamura

Jun 19, 2026 39 min

Claire chatted to Allison Okamura from Stanford University about developing advanced robotic systems for haptic (touch) interaction. Allison Okamura is the Richard W. Weiland Professor of Engineering at Stanford University. Her academic interests include haptics, teleoperation, virtual reality, medical robotics, soft robotics, rehabilitation, and education. Allison is Director of Graduate Studies for Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, a deputy director of the Wu Tsai Stanford Neurosciences Institute, a Science Fellow of the Hoover Institution and a founding faculty member and executive committee member of the Stanford Robotics Center. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/ Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robotic blacksmiths - Edward Mehr

Jun 12, 2026 31 min

Claire chatted to Edward Mehr from Machina Labs about their RoboCraftsman that shapes complex metal parts for the aerospace, defence, and automotive industries. Edward Mehr is an entrepreneur and engineer specializing in advanced manufacturing, robotics, and artificial intelligence. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Machina Labs, he leads efforts to integrate AI-driven robotics into flexible, on-demand production systems. Under his leadership, Machina Labs is reshaping how industries such as aerospace, defence, and automotive approach metal forming and modern manufacturing. Before founding Machina Labs, Ed worked at leading technology companies, including Relativity Space, Averon, SpaceX, Google, and Microsoft. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robot sensing and manipulation - Maria Koskinopoulou

Jun 5, 2026 34 min

Maria Koskinopoulou is an Assistant Professor in Robotics and Computer Vision at Heriot-Watt University. She co-leads the ARM²Lab – Autonomous Robotic Manipulation & Multi-Agent Systems Lab at Heriot-Watt and the National Robotarium, alongside Ignacio Carlucho. Her research interests include robotic manipulation, perception, robot vision, medical robotics, human-robot interaction, and machine learning. She is involved in major UKRI and EU-funded research projects advancing robotic manipulation, surgical and underwater robotics, autonomous assembly, and waste sorting. Check out the bonus episodes from the European Robotics Forum: https://www.patreon.com/posts/robot-talk-at-157276631 Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Bonus Episode: Empowering Robotics with 6G (ERF 2026)

Jun 1, 2026 37 min

This bonus episode features interviews from academic and industry experts at this year's European Robotics Forum in Stavanger, Norway. On the second day of the conference, I attended a workshop on '6G Empowering Future Multipurpose Robotics', which explored opportunities, technical challenges, and requirements for connectivity in robotics. This bonus episode was produced in collaboration with euRobotics — an international non-profit association that aims to boost European robotics research, development, and innovation.

Bonus Episode: Resilient Supply Chains for Robotics (ERF 2026)

Jun 1, 2026 34 min

This bonus episode features interviews from academic and industry experts at this year's European Robotics Forum in Stavanger, Norway. The first workshop I attended at ERF 2026 was on 'Robotics for Strategic Reindustrialisation', which focussed how to strengthen the resilience of Europe's manufacturing supply chains, including those for robotics hardware and software. This bonus episode was produced in collaboration with euRobotics — an international non-profit association that aims to boost European robotics research, development, and innovation.

Autonomous robot deliveries - Ahti Heinla

May 29, 2026 33 min

Claire chatted to Ahti Heinla from Starship Technologies about their AI-powered delivery robots that operate independently on streets and sidewalks. Ahti Heinla is the co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies, the world's leading autonomous delivery company building AI-powered robots that operate fully independently in real-world environments. One of the original engineers behind Skype's billion-dollar success, Ahti later made a quiet pivot into robotics, spending the past decade advancing practical, consumer-facing AI. Under his leadership, Starship has completed more than 10 million autonomous deliveries with a fleet of over 2,700 robots navigating streets, pavements, weather, and people, without human intervention. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Generating new robot designs - Josie Hughes

May 22, 2026 28 min

Claire chatted to Josie Hughes from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) about using generative AI to develop new designs for robotic manipulators. Josie Hughes is an Assistant Professor at EPFL, where she established the CREATE Lab in 2021. She completed her PhD in the Bio-inspired Robotics Lab at the University of Cambridge, examining the role of passivity in bio-inspired manipulators. Her research focuses on developing novel design paradigms for designing robot structures that exploit their physicality and interactions with the environment. This includes the development of robotic hands, soft manipulators, and automation systems for applications focused on sustainability and science. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/

Rugged robots for dangerous missions - Gavin Kenneally

May 15, 2026 33 min

Claire chatted to Gavin Kenneally from Ghost Robotics about robot dogs for defence, security, and public safety. Gavin Kenneally is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ghost Robotics, a company that has gained a reputation for pushing the boundaries of legged robotics technology. In his current role, Gavin spearheads a team of highly skilled engineers and researchers who share his passion for creating advanced robotics systems. Previously, he was Head of Product at Ghost Robotics, responsible for the mechanical design of the company's flagship product: the Vision 60 Q-UGV. Gavin has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and has authored six academic papers. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Making aerial robots smarter - Melissa Greeff

May 8, 2026 24 min

Claire chatted to Melissa Greeff from Queen's University about autonomous navigation and learning for drones. Melissa Greeff is an Assistant Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Queen's University. She leads Robora Lab and is also an Ingenuity Labs Robotics and AI Institute member. Her research interests include aerial robots, vision-based navigation, and safe learning-based control. Melissa's expertise is in building autonomous aerial systems including previous experience in conducting field trials at various locations across Canada. She was listed as one of 50 women in robotics you need to know about in 2023 by the Women in Robotics organization. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Visual navigation in insects and robots - Andrew Philippides

May 1, 2026 33 min

Claire chatted to Andrew Philippides from the University of Sussex about what we can learn from ants and bees to improve robot navigation. Andrew Philippides is a Professor of Biorobotics at the University of Sussex, where he co-directs the Centre for Computational Neuroscience and Robotics and the be.AI Leverhulme Doctoral centre for Biomimetic Embodied AI. His research combines biological experiments with robotics, modelling, and machine learning to understand how intelligent behaviour emerges from the interaction of body and brain acting in an environment. Focussing on visual navigation, he aims to understand the navigation and learning abilities of ants and bees to develop novel AI and biorobotic algorithms. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/ Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Origami-inspired robots - Chenying Liu

Apr 24, 2026 20 min

Claire chatted to Chenying Liu from the University of Oxford about how a robot's physical form can actively contribute to sensing, processing, decision-making, and movement. Chenying Liu is a Junior Research Fellow and an Associate Member of Faculty in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. She leads an independent research programme focused on embodied physical intelligence, exploring how robot design can integrate geometry, materials, and control to enhance autonomy and robustness. Her work aims to develop more efficient and resilient robotic systems by embedding intelligence directly into their physical structures. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Dexterous robot hands - Rich Walker

Apr 17, 2026 35 min

Claire chatted to Rich Walker from Shadow Robot Company about their advanced robotic hands for research and industry. Rich Walker has been at Shadow Robot since long before it was a company, working initially on software and systems engineering before "jumping the fence" into management. He led Shadow Robot's engagement with a number of R&D initiatives in UK and across Europe, as well as developing proof-of-concept projects for dexterous robotics with a number of commercial organisations. Rich represents robotics SMEs at the European level as one of the Directors of euRobotics, as well as maintaining Shadow Robot's research engagements and policy programme. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher This episode was produced in collaboration with euRobotics — an international non-profit association that aims to boost European robotics research, development, and innovation.

Robots to study the ocean - Simona Aracri

Apr 10, 2026 28 min

Claire chatted to Simona Aracri from the National Research Council of Italy about innovative robot designs for oceanography and environmental monitoring. Simona Aracri is a researcher in the Institute of Marine Engineering at the National Research Council of Italy. Previously, she was a Post Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Edinburgh, working on the award winning project ORCA Hub and focusing on offshore robotic sensors. Her research uses innovative sensors and robotic platforms to push the boundaries of observational oceanography and environmental monitoring. She has spent more than 6 months at sea on oceanographic sampling campaigns, in the Mediterranean Sea, Pacific Ocean and the North Sea. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

House building robots - Vikas Enti

Mar 27, 2026 31 min

Claire chatted to Vikas Enti from Reframe Systems about using robotics and automation to build climate-resilient, high-performance homes. Vikas Enti is the co-founder and CEO of Reframe Systems, a physical AI company rethinking how homes are built through automation and localized fabrication. He previously spent more than a decade at Amazon Robotics, where he helped scale advanced robotics systems across global logistics networks. Today, he is applying those same principles of systems design and repeatable production to address the housing shortage. Vikas focuses on building climate-resilient, high-performance homes faster and more predictably than traditional methods. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robot safety and security - Krystal Mattich

Mar 20, 2026 25 min

Claire chatted to Krystal Mattich from Brain Corp about trustworthy autonomous robots in public spaces. Krystal Mattich leads global data governance, system security, and privacy compliance for Brain Corp: the world's leading autonomy platform for commercial robotics. As Senior Director of Security, Privacy, and Risk, she is the architect of the privacy-first infrastructure that powers over 40,000 BrainOS®-enabled robots across retail, airports, education and logistics. Krystal played a central role in launching Brain Corp's public-facing Trust Center, reinforcing the company's commitment to data transparency, GDPR compliance, and responsible AI. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Bonus Episode: The Future of Home Assistant Robots

Mar 18, 2026 45 min

Last month, I hosted a panel discussion on home assistant robots at the Festival of Tomorrow in Swindon. I was joined by Dr Patrick Holthaus, a Reader in Interactive Assistive Technology at the University of Hertfordshire, Dr Nicole Salomons, a Lecturer at Imperial College London, Dr Gerard Canal, a Lecturer in Autonomous Systems at King's College London, and Dr Carolina Fuentes Toro, a Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction and Human-Robot Interaction at the University of Cardiff. This event was part of the Festival of Tomorrow's Hawking Building Series — a series of four evening events organised at the Science and Innovation Park in Swindon. I'd like to say thanks again to the Festival of Tomorrow for inviting me to be part of this fantastic imitative. The Festival of Tomorrow is an annual festival bringing together researchers, programmers, artists and performers to share discoveries, research, knowledge and ideas that will shape our shared future. Listen to the full catalogue of bonus episodes here: https://www.patreon.com/collection/681853 Find out more about the Festival of Tomorrow: https://www.festivaloftomorrow.com/

Ethical robot behaviour - Alan Winfield

Mar 13, 2026 38 min

Claire chatted to Alan Winfield from the University of the West of England about developing new standards for ethics and transparency in robotics. Alan Winfield is Professor of Robot Ethics at the University of the West of England (UWE), Visiting Professor at the University of York, and Associate Fellow of the Cambridge Centre for the Future of Intelligence. Alan co-founded the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, where his research is focussed on the science, engineering and ethics of cognitive robotics. Alan is an advocate for robot ethics; he chairs the advisory board of the Responsible Technology Institute at the University of Oxford and has co-drafted new standards on ethical risk assessment and transparency. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Miniature living robots - Maria Guix

Mar 6, 2026 31 min

Claire chatted to Maria Guix from the University of Barcelona about combining electronics and biology to create robots that are more than the sum of their parts. Maria Guix is a chemist and nanotechnology researcher in the University of Barcelona's ChemInFlow lab, developing miniaturized living robots and integrating flexible sensors into microfluidic platforms to better understand biohybrid robotic platforms. Her PhD research at the Autonomous University of Barcelona focussed on nanomaterials for biosensing. She has held postdoctoral positions at IFW Dresden, Purdue University, and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, advancing biocompatible micromotors, magnetic microrobot automation, and functional living robots. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Embodied AI on the ISS - Jamie Palmer

Feb 27, 2026 24 min

Claire chatted to Jamie Palmer from Icarus Robotics about building a robotic labour force to perform routine and risky tasks in orbit. Jamie Palmer is co-founder and CTO of Icarus Robotics. He earned a Master's in Robotics from Columbia University on a full scholarship, researching intelligent, dexterous manipulation in the ROAM lab. Jamie developed and deployed autonomous hospital robots during the pandemic and worked as a race-winning engineer for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robotics and automation in manufacturing - Agata Suwala

Feb 20, 2026 26 min

Claire chatted to Agata Suwala from the Manufacturing Technology Centre about leveraging robotics to make manufacturing systems more sustainable. Agata Suwala is a Technology Manager at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, where she leads cutting-edge work in automation and robotics. With over a decade of experience in R&D, Agata specialises in developing and implementing advanced manufacturing systems—particularly for the aerospace sector—transforming complex, skill-intensive processes through automation. Her recent focus is on enabling the transition to a circular economy by leveraging automation and robotics to create sustainable, scalable technologies. This episode is powered by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme, which aims to transform robotic capabilities and unlock a step-change in human productivity. Find out more about ARIA: https://aria.org.uk/ Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robot trust in humans - Samuele Vinanzi

Feb 13, 2026 29 min

Claire chatted to Samuele Vinanzi from Sheffield Hallam University about how robots can tell whether to trust or distrust people. Samuele Vinanzi is a Senior Lecturer in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at Sheffield Hallam University. He specializes in Cognitive Robotics: an interdisciplinary field that integrates robotics, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and psychology to create robots that perceive, reason, and interact like humans. His research focuses on enabling social collaboration between humans and robots, particularly emotional intelligence, intention reading, and artificial trust. His recent book, "In Robots We Trust", explores trust relationships between humans and robots. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robots for children - Elmira Yadollahi

Feb 6, 2026 35 min

Claire chatted to Elmira Yadollahi from Lancaster University about how children interact with and relate to robots. Elmira Yadollahi is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Lancaster University. She has a joint PhD in robotics and computer science from EPFL in Switzerland and Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal. Her research tackles explainability in robotics, as well as multimodal perception and explanation methods. Her core expertise is in child–robot interaction, with a focus on expectation management, trust, and AI literacy. She has organised workshops on Explainability in Human-Robot Interaction and the Design and Development of Robots and AI with Children. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Collaborative robot arms - Mark Gray

Jan 30, 2026 26 min

Claire chatted to Mark Gray from Universal Robots about their lightweight robotic arms that work alongside humans. Mark Gray has worked in automation for the last 30 years, first involved in machine vision and robotics and finally collaborative robots or cobots. As country manager, Mark was the first person to work for Universal Robots in the UK and has carried out projects with many research institutes such as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), the National Robotarium, and Bristol Robotics Lab. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Our relationship with robot swarms - Razanne Abu-Aisheh

Jan 23, 2026 23 min

Claire chatted to Razanne Abu-Aisheh from the University of Bristol about how people feel about interacting with robot swarms. Razanne Abu-Aisheh is a Senior Research Associate in the Centre for Sociodigital Futures at the University of Bristol. Her work explores how people interact with robot swarms, with a focus on how collective robot behaviours influence human perception. In her current research, she collaborates with communities to imagine more inclusive and meaningful futures with robotics, working towards community-centred design. Her broader interests include bringing robot swarms into real-world settings and designing them with people in mind. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robot balance and agility - Amir Patel

Jan 16, 2026 21 min

Claire chatted to Amir Patel from University College London about designing robots with the agility and manoeuvrability of a cheetah. Amir Patel is an Associate Professor of Robotics & AI in the Department of Computer Science at University College London (UCL). His research uses robotics methods—sensor fusion, computer vision, mechanical modelling, and optimal control—to understand and quantify animal locomotion, especially high-speed predators such as the cheetah, and to translate these insights into bio-inspired machines. Previously, he served on the faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town, where he founded and directed the African Robotics Unit (ARU). Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Advanced robot hearing - Christine Evers

Jan 9, 2026 28 min

Claire chatted to Christine Evers from the University of Southampton about helping robots understand the world around them through sound. Christine Evers is an Associate Professor in Computer Science and Director of the Centre for Robotics at the University of Southampton. Her research pushes the boundaries of machine listening, enabling robots to make sense of life in sound. Her current focus is embedding our understanding of the human auditory process into deep-learning audio architectures. This bio-inspired approach moves away from massive, internet-scale models toward compute-efficient and inherently interpretable systems - opening the door to a new generation of embodied auditory intelligence. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robots in the environment - Stefano Mintchev

Dec 19, 2025 29 min

Claire chatted to Stefano Mintchev from ETH Zürich about robots to explore and monitor the natural environment. Stefano Mintchev is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Robotics at ETH Zürich in Switzerland. He has a Ph.D. in Bioinspired Robotics from Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Italy, and conducted postdoctoral research at EPFL in Switzerland, focused on bioinspired design principles for versatile aerial robots. At ETH Zürich, Stefano leads a research group working at the intersection of robotics and environmental science, developing robust and scalable bioinspired robotic technologies for monitoring and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Getting two-legged robots moving - Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi

Dec 12, 2025 30 min

Claire chatted to Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi from Ohio Northern University about bipedal robots that can walk and even climb stairs. Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi (Wami) is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Ohio Northern University. Her research focuses on controls with applications in bipedal locomotion and engineering education. She is the first Black woman to receive a PhD in Robotics at the University of Michigan. During her Ph.D., she developed the Biped Bootcamp technical document, which she is transforming into an undergraduate curriculum —introducing students to bipedal robotics while providing advanced coursework for juniors and seniors. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Making driverless vehicles smarter - Shimon Whiteson

Dec 5, 2025 33 min

Claire chatted to Shimon Whiteson from the University of Oxford and Waymo about machine learning for autonomous vehicles. Shimon Whiteson is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Oxford and a Senior Staff Research Scientist at Waymo UK. His research focuses on deep reinforcement learning and imitation learning, with applications in robotics and video games. He completed his doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin in 2007. He spent eight years as an Assistant and then an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam before joining Oxford as an Associate Professor in 2015. His spin-out company Latent Logic was acquired by Waymo in 2019. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robot anatomy and design - Chapa Sirithunge

Nov 28, 2025 26 min

Claire chatted to Chapa Sirithunge from the University of Cambridge about what robots can teach us about human anatomy, and vice versa. Chapa Sirithunge is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellow in robotics at the University of Cambridge. She has an undergraduate degree and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Moratuwa. Before joining the University of Cambridge in 2022, she was a lecturer at Sri Lanka Technological Campus and a visiting lecturer at the University of Moratuwa Sri Lanka. Her research interests span assistive robotics, soft robots and physical human-robot interaction. In addition to her research, she founded Women in Robotics Cambridge to help young minds navigate their path into robotics. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Robotics as a hobby - Kevin McAleer

Nov 21, 2025 37 min

Claire chatted to Kevin McAleer from kevsrobots about how to get started building robots at home. Kevin McAleer is a hobbyist robotics fanatic who likes to build robots, share videos about them on YouTube and teach people how to do the same. Kev has been building robots since 2019, when he got his first 3d printer and wanted to make more interesting builds. Kev has a degree in Computer Science, and because his day job is relatively hands-off, this hobby allows his creativity to have an outlet. Kev is a huge fan of Python and Micropython for embedded devices, and has a website - kevsrobots.com where you can learn more about how to get started in robotics. Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Creating sociable robot collaborators - Heather Knight

Nov 14, 2025 35 min

Claire chatted to Heather Knight from Oregon State University about applying methods from the performing arts to robotics. Heather Knight runs the CHARISMA Robotics research group. Her education includes a PhD on Expressive Motion for Low Degree of Freedom Robots from Carnegie Mellon University, and M.S. and B.S. degrees in EECS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Aldebaran Robotics, and produced the Robot Film Festival, a Cyberflora robot flower garden, robot comedy on TED.com, and a two-floor Rube Goldberg machine for OK Go that won a British Video Music Award. This episode is sponsored by Soft Robotics for Healthcare, a national platform for accelerating the clinical adoption of soft robotic technologies. Their upcoming event: SoRoH 2026 'Shaping the Future of Soft Robotics in Health' is coming to Bristol on the 19th and 20th of January. Register at softroboticshealth.org.uk

Collaborating with industrial robots - Anthony Jules

Nov 7, 2025 30 min

Claire chatted to Anthony Jules from Robust.AI about their AI-driven autonomous robots that work alongside humans. Anthony Jules is the CEO and co-founder of Robust.AI, a leader in AI-driven warehouse automation. The company's flagship product Carter™, is built to work with people in their existing environments, without disrupting their workflows. Anthony has a career spanning over 30 years at the intersection of robotics, AI, and business. An MIT-trained roboticist, he was part of the founding team at Sapient, held leadership roles at Activision, and has built multiple startups, bringing a unique blend of technical depth and operational scale to human-centered automation. Support Robot Talk on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

Empowering game-changing robotics research - Edith-Clare Hall

Oct 31, 2025 26 min

Claire chatted to Edith-Clare Hall from the Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) about accelerating scientific and technological breakthroughs. Edith-Clare Hall is a PhD student at the University of Bristol, Frontier Specialist at ARIA, and leader of Women in Robotics UK. She focuses on the critical interfaces where interconnected systems meet, working to close the gap between academic research and real-world deployment to unlock cyber-physical autonomy. At ARIA, she works as a technical generalist, accelerating breakthroughs across emerging and future programmes. Her PhD research focussed on creating bespoke robotic systems that deliver support for people with progressive conditions such as motor neurone disease (MND). Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

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Robots in the real world - Daniela Shchegelskaya

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Podcast details

Created by: Robot Talk
Status: Active
Latest episode: Nov 13, 2026
Episodes: 181
Release period: Weekly
Avg. episode length: 29 min
Explicit: No
Language: English

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