Serious Thinking

From “Biothings” to Robotics

By Cláudia Rocha*

Hello, my name is Cláudia Rocha, I was born in Baião and I have a master’s degree in Bioengineering with specialisation in Biomedical Engineering from FEUP. In September of 2016, I joined the Centre for Robotics in Industry and Intelligent Systems (CRIIS) of INESC TEC as a R&D engineer within the scope of new robotic solutions capable of meeting industrial needs. How did it all begin?

During my 3rd year of university, I had my first interaction with robotics laboratories by chance, as part of the work of a subject where the goal was to control a NXT (LEGO robot) through the EMG signals of the muscles of the arm. Curiosity and interest grew to the point where in the fourth and fifth years I selected optional subjects that would allow me to acquire competencies in this area. Furthermore, my dissertation project ultimately led to the development of a robotic system capable of carrying out repetitive laboratory tasks.

There was an opportunity to join the centre and I had no second thoughts. The environment of friendship, mutual help and companionship experienced stood out right from the start. Many times, during conversations, I am nicknamed “biothings”, because the centre’s specialisation is primarily in electrotechnics, mechanics and computer science. This multidisciplinarity is precisely what fascinates me, because I have the opportunity to learn and to deepen my knowledge in multiple areas. The main topics of research of CRIIS are mobile manipulators, smart systems and sensors, and agricultural and collaborative robots. My line of research lies within the domain of industrial robotics with a focus on projects of mechanical modelling, electronic development and creation of software for robotic systems. Despite our dedication to autonomous mechanisms, the main actors of the systems conceived are still humans. Their safety and well-being are two factors that we always take into account. Therefore, we seek to intervene in the following ways:

- Decreasing the time spent doing monotonous and repetitive tasks;

- Avoiding the exposure to dangerous and non-ergonomic environments;

This way, we intend to refute the idea that robots take jobs away from humans and/or that humans should fear them. In fact, our solutions aim to support operators in their activities and to improve their performance.

I acquired a lot of experience during this last year. I had the opportunity to establish contact with many companies and researchers from other centres of INESC TEC and to participate in several demonstrations. One of these demonstrations took place during Hannover Messe 2017 (one of the biggest in technology), where apart from the knowledge and experience acquired, it was my first time travelling by plane, which I will never forget.

To have the will to learn is very important, but CRIIS has the foundations necessary to accomplish it. LabMeetings is a means of being up to date on the advancements of other projects, thus reinforcing our critical thinking. Sharing stories, cultures and knowledge and debating new ideas daily, whether during lunch time or during the five minutes of the coffee break, leads to the establishment of connections between us and to social and professional growth.”

* Researcher at the Centre for Robotics in Industry and Intelligent Systems (CRIIS)