Current AI cannot provide a complete solution for robotics, although AI is a useful tool for real-world challenges that cannot be solved by traditional methods. We will discuss how AI can be applied to solve real-world problems using robotic systems developed by our team so far. Inspired by a dance partner robot developed for the Aichi Expo in 2005, a co-worker robot “PaDY” was developed for the automotive assembly process. Intention estimation was a key to these collaborative robots. AI has also led to the development of robotic applications in manufacturing, such as computer vision for bin picking, grasp planning, robot motion planning, and assembly of textureless industrial parts using visual servoing. Recent advances in AI are making it possible to tackle the manipulation of soft materials. The JC STEM Lab of Robotics for Soft Materials funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust covers this new field.
Professor Kazuhiro Kosuge is Chair Professor of Robotic Systems in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Hong Kong. He is an IEEE Life Fellow, JSME Fellow, SICE Fellow, RSJ Fellow, JSAE Fellow and a member of the Engineering Academy of Japan. He has served as President of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (2010-2011), IEEE Division X Director (2015-2016), and IEEE Vice President for Technical Activities (2020). He received Medal of Honor, Medal with Purple Ribbon from Japan in 2018, a national honour in recognition of his prominent contributions to academic and industrial advancements.
Clean water and clean air are vital for public health. This project focuses on developing high-efficiency and environmentally sustainable filters for removing harmful air/water pollutants. The team has developed novel architectures and functionalities for the filters to achieve high permeance, high removal efficiency, and excellent reusability.
