The ROBOPROX Women Forum proudly presents the recipients of our grants for young female researchers in robotics. This funding supports innovative projects and provides a platform for emerging talents to advance their research. In this article, we introduce the awardees and highlights the promising work they are undertaking in the field.
Jehanne Grasland
FEL CTU
Researcher
Building and Studying an Artificial Arm/Torso Tactile Platform Mimicking Infant Self-Touch
What project will you be working on?
I am designing and studying an artificial tactile platform inspired by how infants touch themselves. My project involves creating a robotic arm with 3 degrees of freedom to simulate touch contacts, in order to test and develop computational models of body representation. This system aims to improve the understanding and control of body sensations in robots.
What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM?
Curious about Jehanne’s inspiration? We’re still uncovering her journey. Stay tuned.
What are you most looking forward to in your work and what are the biggest challenges you have faced in your research?
Excited to learn about Jehanne’s ambitions and hurdles? We’re gathering those insights and will share soon.
Anastázie Rišková
FEL CTU
Junior Researcher
Virtual and Real Robotic Framework for Collaborative Mobile Manipulation
What project will you be working on?
In the proposed project, I am eager to undertake research focused on developing a mobile robotic manipulator framework, allowing investigation of the interaction between collaborative robots and their environment, including human personnel. This research is motivated by a mobile robot demonstrator equipped with a robotic arm and gripper. This mobile robot will autonomously map the environment, interact with objects considered obstacles by moving them out of the way to increase clearance, and reach a desired goal location if possible.
What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM?
Ever since I was young, my curiosity has driven me to ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ about the world around me, which naturally led me to the technical field. While some people find fulfillment in human connection, I find it in unraveling the inner workings of machines. STEM offers the perfect combination of science and logic, where I can channel my curiosity and natural affinity for technology into meaningful innovations.
What are you most looking forward to in your work and what are the biggest challenges you have faced in your research?
My interest in robotics and automation has driven my academic and professional pursuits. Working on this topic aligns perfectly with my pursuit of creating intelligent systems that can enhance human capabilities and improve quality of life. I am particularly excited about the challenges and opportunities presented by integrating mobility and manipulation, as it requires a multidisciplinary approach involving mechanical design, control systems, artificial intelligence, and sensor technologies.
NaĎa Fučelová
FIT CTU
Student
Open-ended neuro-evolutionary symbolic regression
What project will you be working on?
I will be developing a new method of symbolic regression that uniquely combines two approaches: a gradient-free evolutionary algorithm and gradient-based neural network learning. Symbolic regression is designed to create analytical models from data, which are more interpretable than the black-box models of traditional neural networks. This innovative project aims to enhance the process of generating models that are both comprehensible and effective, leveraging the strengths of evolutionary algorithms and neural networks.
What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM?
Ever since I was young, my curiosity about the world has led me to ask many questions. Luckily, I have had people around me who shared the same passion and made science both exciting and accessible. I had a great high school teacher, who influenced my positive attitude towards mathematics. This, along with the potential to solve real-world problems, became one of my biggest inspirations.
What are you most looking forward to in your work and what are the biggest challenges you have faced in your research?
I am particularly eager for the creative aspects of the research. I am looking forward to experimenting with different approaches and observing how they affect the results. Additionally, I am also really excited about collaborating with other researchers and becoming part of the community. The challenges during the research still arise, and it is quite hard to pinpoint the biggest one I have faced so far. However, it was surely difficult for me to get to grips with the topic in the beginning.