Heramb Modugula

Phd Student

As a first-year doctoral researcher, I work on benchmarking and developing more robust and adaptive learning methods for robot manipulation in human-assistive settings. I also contribute to the centre’s modular kitchen research platform with multiple static and mobile manipulators.

Tell us about your journey before you joined the Centre for AI in Assistive Autonomy?

My interest in robotics was sparked by seeing a newspaper advert about the LEGO Mindstorms robot snake exhibited at CES 2013. Since then, I have worked on open-source domestic service robotics using Turtlebot-2 at RoboCup@Home. I pursued my integrated master’s (MEng and BA) at Queens’ College, University of Cambridge. I gained an in-depth understanding across the breath of engineering. My master’s project focused on enabling robot agents to understand multimodal contextual information and adapt to social cues using the novel COntextual INference (COIN) model of sensorimotor learning, originally developed for humans. I also have industrial experience in developing whole-body motion planning for assistive home robots at Dyson.

What motivates you to work in this area?

I am driven by the immense potential for robots to have meaningful applications in the human world. Of course, this could not be possible without the fantastic people who are deeply passionate about robotics.

What do you love about Edinburgh?

The rich history and distinct character of various parts of the city. Also, there are many opportunities for outdoor sports like rowing, cycling, and skiing.