Robot Talk
Episodes
Episode 152: Dexterous robot hands - Rich Walker
17 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Rich Walker from Shadow Robot Company about their advanced robotic hands for research and industry. Rich Walker has been at Shadow R...
Episode 151: Robots to study the ocean - Simona Aracri
10 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Simona Aracri from the National Research Council of Italy about innovative robot designs for oceanography and environmental monitori...
Episode 150: House building robots - Vikas Enti
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Vikas Enti from Reframe Systems about using robotics and automation to build climate-resilient, high-performance homes. Vikas Enti i...
Episode 149: Robot safety and security - Krystal Mattich
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Krystal Mattich from Brain Corp about trustworthy autonomous robots in public spaces. Krystal Mattich leads global data governance, ...
Bonus Episode: The Future of Home Assistant Robots
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 148: Ethical robot behaviour - Alan Winfield
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Alan Winfield from the University of the West of England about developing new standards for ethics and transparency in robotics. Ala...
Episode 147: Miniature living robots - Maria Guix
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Episode 146: Embodied AI on the ISS - Jamie Palmer
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 145: Robotics and automation in manufacturing - Agata Suwala
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Agata Suwala from the Manufacturing Technology Centre about leveraging robotics to make manufacturing systems more sustainable. Agat...
Episode 144: Robot trust in humans - Samuele Vinanzi
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Samuele Vinanzi from Sheffield Hallam University about how robots can tell whether to trust or distrust people. Samuele Vinanzi is a...
Episode 143: Robots for children - Elmira Yadollahi
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Elmira Yadollahi from Lancaster University about how children interact with and relate to robots. Elmira Yadollahi is an Assistant P...
Episode 142: Collaborative robot arms - Mark Gray
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Mark Gray from Universal Robots about their lightweight robotic arms that work alongside humans. Mark Gray has worked in automation ...
Episode 141: Our relationship with robot swarms - Razanne Abu-Aisheh
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 140: Robot balance and agility - Amir Patel
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Amir Patel from University College London about designing robots with the agility and manoeuvrability of a cheetah. Amir Patel is an...
Episode 139: Advanced robot hearing - Christine Evers
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Christine Evers from the University of Southampton about helping robots understand the world around them through sound. Christine Ev...
Episode 138: Robots in the environment - Stefano Mintchev
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Stefano Mintchev from ETH Zürich about robots to explore and monitor the natural environment. Stefano Mintchev is an Assistant Pro...
Episode 137: Getting two-legged robots moving - Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi from Ohio Northern University about bipedal robots that can walk and even climb stairs. Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunb...
Episode 136: Making driverless vehicles smarter - Shimon Whiteson
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Shimon Whiteson from the University of Oxford and Waymo about machine learning for autonomous vehicles. Shimon Whiteson is a Profess...
Episode 135: Robot anatomy and design - Chapa Sirithunge
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Chapa Sirithunge from the University of Cambridge about what robots can teach us about human anatomy, and vice versa. Chapa Sirithun...
Episode 134: Robotics as a hobby - Kevin McAleer
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Kevin McAleer from kevsrobots about how to get started building robots at home. Kevin McAleer is a hobbyist robotics fanatic who lik...
Episode 133: Creating sociable robot collaborators - Heather Knight
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Heather Knight from Oregon State University about applying methods from the performing arts to robotics. Heather Knight runs the CHA...
Episode 132: Collaborating with industrial robots - Anthony Jules
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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-fou...
Episode 131: Empowering game-changing robotics research - Edith-Clare Hall
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Edith-Clare Hall from the Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) about accelerating scientific and technological breakthroughs....
Episode 130: Robots learning from humans - Chad Jenkins
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Chad Jenkins from the University of Michigan about how robots can learn from people and assist us in our daily lives. Odest Chadwick...
Episode 129: Automating museum experiments - Yuen Ting Chan
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Yuen Ting Chan from the Natural History Museum about using robots to automate molecular biology experiments. Yuen Ting Chan has near...
Bonus Episode: Smart City Robotics Competition
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last month I had the pleasure of attending the Smart City Robotics Competition in Milton Keynes, where I spoke to the organisers, competitors, exhibit...
Episode 128: Making microrobots move - Ali K. Hoshiar
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Ali K. Hoshiar from the University of Essex about how microrobots move and work together. Ali Hoshiar is a Senior Lecturer in Roboti...
Episode 127: Robots exploring other planets - Frances Zhu
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Frances Zhu from the Colorado School of Mines about intelligent robotic systems for space exploration. Frances Zhu has a degree in M...
Robot Talk Season 6 coming soon!
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robot Talk will be back for a new season very soon — make sure you're subscribed to be the first to hear the latest episodes! Get more from Robot T...
Episode 126: Why are we building humanoid robots? - Robot Talk Live
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Research into humanoid robots is a rapidly advancing field, with companies around the world striving to produce robots that look and act more like us....
Episode 125: Chatting with robots - Gabriel Skantze
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Gabriel Skantze from KTH Royal Institute of Technology about having natural face-to-face conversations with robots. Gabriel Skantze ...
Episode 124: Robots in the performing arts - Amy LaViers
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Amy LaViers from the Robotics, Automation, and Dance Lab about the creative relationship between humans and machines. Amy LaViers wo...
Episode 123: Standardising robot programming - Nick Thompson
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Nick Thompson from BOW about software that makes robots easier to program. Nick Thompson is CEO of BOW and exited founder of One Bey...
Episode 122: Bio-inspired flying robots - Jane Pauline Ramos Ramirez
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Jane Pauline Ramos Ramirez from Delft University of Technology about drones that can move on land and in the air. Jane Pauline Ramos...
Episode 121: Adaptable robots for the home - Lerrel Pinto
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Lerrel Pinto from New York University about using machine learning to train robots to adapt to new environments. Lerrel Pinto is an ...
Episode 120: Evolving robots to explore other planets - Emma Hart
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Emma Hart from Edinburgh Napier University about algorithms that 'evolve' better robot designs and control systems. Emma Hart is a c...
Episode 119: Robotics for small manufacturers - Will Kinghorn
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Will Kinghorn from Made Smarter about how to increase adoption of new tech by small manufacturers. Will Kinghorn is an automation an...
Episode 118: Soft robotics and electronic skin - Miranda Lowther
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Miranda Lowther from the University of Bristol about soft, sensitive electronic skin for prosthetic limbs. Miranda Lowther is a PhD ...
Episode 117: Robots in orbit - Jeremy Hadall
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Jeremy Hadall from the Satellite Applications Catapult about robotic systems for in-orbit servicing, assembly, and manufacturing. Je...
Episode 116: Evolved behaviour for robot teams - Tanja Katharina Kaiser
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Tanja Katharina Kaiser from the University of Technology Nuremberg about how applying evolutionary principles can help robot teams m...
Episode 115: Robot dogs working in industry - Benjamin Mottis
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Benjamin Mottis from ANYbotics about deploying their four-legged ANYmal robot in a variety of industries. Benjamin Mottis is a Robot...
Episode 114: Reducing waste with robotics - Josie Gotz
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Josie Gotz from the Manufacturing Technology Centre about robotics for material recovery, reuse and recycling. Josie Gotz is a Senio...
Episode 113: Soft robotic hands - Kaspar Althoefer
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Kaspar Althoefer from Queen Mary University of London about soft robotic manipulators for healthcare and manufacturing. Kaspar Altho...
Episode 112: Getting creative with robotics - Vali Lalioti
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Vali Lalioti from the University of the Arts London about how art, culture and robotics interact. Vali Lalioti is a pioneering desig...
Episode 111: Robots for climate action - Patrick Meier
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Patrick Meier from the Climate Robotics Network about how robots can help scale action on climate change. Patrick Meier has 15+ year...
Episode 110: Designing ethical robots - Catherine Menon
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Catherine Menon from the University of Hertfordshire about designing home assistance robots with ethics in mind. Catherine Menon is ...
Episode 109: Building robots at home - Dan Nicholson
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Dan Nicholson from MakerForge.tech about creating open source robotics projects you can do at home. Dan Nicholson is a seasoned Soft...
Episode 108: Giving robots the sense of touch - Anuradha Ranasinghe
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Anuradha Ranasinghe from Liverpool Hope University about haptic (touch) sensors for wearable tech and robotics. Anuradha Ranasinghe ...
Episode 107: Animal-inspired robot movement - Robert Siddall
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Robert Siddall from the University of Surrey about novel robot designs inspired by the way real animals move. Robert Siddall is an a...
Episode 106: The future of intelligent systems - Didem Gurdur Broo
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Didem Gurdur Broo from Uppsala University about how to shape the future of robotics, autonomous vehicles, and industrial automation....
Episode 105: Working with robots in industry - Gianmarco Pisanelli
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Gianmarco Pisanelli from the University of Sheffield about how to promote the safe and intuitive use of robots in manufacturing. Gia...
Episode 104: Robot swarms inspired by nature - Kirstin Petersen
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Kirstin Petersen from Cornell University about how robots can work together to achieve complex behaviours. Kirstin Petersen is an A...
Episode 103: Delivering medicine by drone - Keenan Wyrobek
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Keenan Wyrobek from Zipline about drones for delivering life-saving medicine to remote locations. Keenan Wyrobek is co-founder and h...
Episode 102: Soft robots inspired by plants - Isabella Fiorello
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I chatted to Isabella Fiorello from the University of Freiburg about plant-inspired robots made from living materials. Isabella Fiorello is a Junior G...
Episode 101: Microscopic surgical robots - Christos Bergeles
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Christos Bergeles from King's College London about micro-surgical robots to deliver therapies deep inside the body. Christos Bergele...
Episode 100: Robots in space - Mini Rai
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Mini Rai from Orbit Rise about orbital and planetary robots. Mini Rai is the founding Director of Orbit Rise Ltd and an honorary Pro...
Episode 99: Robots mapping the deep ocean - Joe Wolfel
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Joe Wolfel from Terradepth about autonomous submersible robots for collecting ocean data. Joe Wolfel is the CEO and founder of Terra...
Episode 98: Robotic chemists to discover new materials - Gabriella Pizzuto
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Gabriella Pizzuto from the University of Liverpool about intelligent robotic manipulators for laboratory automation. Gabriella Pizzu...
Episode 97: Robot swarms for environmental monitoring - Pratap Tokekar
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Pratap Tokekar from the University of Maryland about how teams of robots with different capabilities can work together. Pratap Tokek...
Episode 96: Soft robots in medicine and healthcare - Maria Elena Giannaccini
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Maria Elena Giannaccini from the University of Aberdeen about soft and bioinspired robotics for healthcare and beyond. Maria Elena G...
Episode 95: Helping companies grow with robotics - Jonathan Walker
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Jonathan Walker from Innovate UK about translating robotics research into the commercial sector. Jonathan Walker is the Innovation L...
Episode 94: Humanoid robots for health and social care - Esyin Chew
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Esyin Chew from Cardiff Metropolitan University about service and social humanoid robots in healthcare and education. Esyin Chew is ...
Episode 93: Robots and AI in the workplace - Matt Beane
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Matt Beane from the University of California, Santa Barbara about how humans can learn to work with intelligent machines. Matt Beane...
Episode 92: Trust and acceptance of robots - Gisela Reyes-Cruz
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Gisela Reyes-Cruz from the University of Nottingham about how humans interact with, trust and accept robots. Gisela Reyes-Cruz inves...
Episode 91: Robot navigation on land and in water - John Leonard
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to John Leonard from Massachusetts Institute of Technology about autonomous navigation for underwater vehicles and self-driving cars. ...
Robot Talk Season 5 coming soon!
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Robot Talk will be back for a new season on the 27th September 2024 — make sure you're subscribed to be the first to hear the latest episodes!
Episode 90: Robotically Augmented People - Robot Talk Live
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Robotics is helping to rehabilitate and increase human abilities in areas like mobility and stamina. Innovations in robotic devices, exoskeletons, an...
Episode 89: Medicinal microrobots - Simone Schuerle
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Simone Schuerle from ETH Zürich all about microrobots, medicine and science. Simone Schuerle is Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich i...
Episode 88: Robotic surgery - Lord Ara Darzi
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Lord Ara Darzi from Imperial College London all about robotic surgery - past, present and future. Ara Darzi is Co-Director of the In...
Episode 87: Human-centred design - Isabelle Ormerod
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Isabelle Ormerod from the University of Bristol all about human-centred design and women in robotics. Isabelle Ormerod is a PhD stud...
Episode 86: Robotics at CERN - Mario Di Castro
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Mario Di Castro from CERN all about robotic inspection and maintenance in hazardous environments. Mario Di Castro has a Master's deg...
Episode 85: Drone vision and navigation - Margarita Chli
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Margarita Chli from the University of Cyprus all about vision, navigation, and small aerial drones. Margarita Chli is a professor of...
Episode 84: Art and robotics - Steve Benford
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Steve Benford from the University of Nottingham all about art, dance, and cat sitting robots. Steve Benford is the Dunford Professor...
Episode 83: Life-like artificial systems - Estelle Raffy
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Estelle Raffy from the University of Bristol all about animal behaviour, intelligence, and life-like artificial systems. Estelle Raf...
Episode 82: Software for teleoperation - Chang Liu
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Chang Liu from Extend Robotics all about teleoperation, virtual reality, and software. Chang Liu is an entrepreneur from academia an...
Episode 81: Vision for self-driving cars - Vassia Simaiaki
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Vassia Simaiaki from Wayve all about computer vision, artificial intelligence, and self-driving cars. Vassia Simaiaki is passionate ...
Episode 80: Resilient robot teams - Danesh Tarapore
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Danesh Tarapore from the University of Southampton all about fault detection, division of labour, and robot swarms. Danesh Tarapore ...
Episode 79: The social side of robot design - Ella Maule
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Ella Maule from the Bristol Robotics Laboratory all about community robotics and the social side of robot design. Ella Maule is a Ph...
Episode 78: Connecting science fiction and fact - Stephen Oram
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Stephen Oram from Nudge the Future Fiction all about applied science fiction and the quirks and perils of new technology. Stephen Or...
Episode 77: Social robots that learn from experience - Patricia Shaw
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Patricia Shaw from Aberystwyth University about home assistance robots, and robot learning and development. Patricia Shaw is a Senio...
Episode 76: Robots on the railways - Andrew Starr
08 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Andrew Starr from Cranfield University all about robot maintenance and railway inspection robots. Andrew Starr holds a PhD in condit...
Episode 75: Robot hands and exoskeletons - Antonia Tzemanaki
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Antonia Tzemanaki from the University of Bristol all about hand exoskeletons, robotic hands, and teleoperation. Antonia Tzemanaki is...
Episode 74: Teaching robots to grasp - Edward Johns
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Edward Johns from Imperial College London, all about robotic manipulators, learning, and artificial intelligence. Edward Johns is th...
Episode 73: Making robots more accessible - Marisé Galvez Trigo
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Maria Jose (Marisé) Galvez Trigo from Cardiff University all about human-robot interaction, machine learning, and accessibility. Ma...
Episode 72: Smart mobile robots for industry - Rafael Lopez
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Rafael Lopez from Robotnik Automation all about mobile robots, logistics, and inspection. Rafael Lopez has a degree in Telecommunica...
Episode 71: Assistive robots inspired by biology - Virginia Ruiz Garate
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Virginia Ruiz Garate from Mondragon University all about assistive robotics, mobility, and bio-inspired control. Virginia Ruiz Garat...
Episode 70: Developing better robotic prostheses - Josh Caputo
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Josh Caputo from Humotech all about robotic prostheses, exoskeletons and prototyping. Josh Caputo has a background as a multi-discip...
Episode 69: Robots on the farm - Elizabeth Sklar
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Elizabeth Sklar from the University of Lincoln all about agricultural robotics, human-robot teams, and sustainability. Elizabeth Skl...
Episode 68: Bat-inspired robots - Rolf Mueller
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Rolf Mueller from Virginia Tech all about biomimicry, flapping-wing flight, sensing, and artificial intelligence. Rolf Mueller has s...
Episode 67: Wearable soft robots - Kris Dorsey
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Kris Dorsey from Northeastern University all about wearable soft robots, healthcare and rehabilitation. Kris Dorsey is an associate ...
Episode 66: Healthcare robots you can trust - Jims Marchang
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Jims Marchang from Sheffield Hallam University all about security, privacy, and trust in healthcare robots. Jims Marchang completed ...
Episode 65: Robotic arms for healthcare - Katarzyna Szopinska
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Katarzyna Szopinska from KUKA all about all about software and hardware for medical robotics. Katarzyna Szopinska studied medical an...
Episode 64: Robots for nuclear decommissioning - Rav Chunilal
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Rav Chunilal from Sellafield all about robotics and AI for nuclear decommissioning. Rav Chunilal is the Head of Robotics & Artificia...
Episode 63: Working effectively with robots - Ayse Kucukyilmaz
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Ayse Kucukyilmaz from the University of Nottingham about collaboration, conflict and failure in human-robot interactions. Ayse Kucu...
Episode 62: Making robots at home - Jorvon Moss
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Jorvon (Odd-Jayy) Moss from Digikey about making robots at home, and robot design and aesthetics. Commonly known as Odd-Jayy, Jorvon...
Episode 61: Culturally sensitive robots - Masoumeh (Iran) Mansouri
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Masoumeh (Iran) Mansouri from the University of Birmingham about culturally sensitive robots and planning in complex environments. M...
Episode 60: Making robots look human - Carl Strathearn
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Carl Strathearn from Edinburgh Napier University all about humanoid robots, realistic robot faces and speech. Carl Strathearn is a ...
Episode 59: Robots at sea - Ffion Llewellyn
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Ffion Llewellyn from Oshen about sea-faring robots and ocean sensing. Ffion Llewellyn graduated from Imperial College London in 2022...
Episode 58: Dexterous robotic hands - Lorenzo Jamone
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire chatted to Lorenzo Jamone from Queen Mary University of London all about robotic hands, dexterity, and the sense of touch. Lorenzo Jamone is a ...
Episode 57: The ethics of new technology - Kate Devlin
13 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire 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 differen...