Dr Tirthankar Bandyopadhyay

Research Theme Lead: Robot-World Interaction, CPS-RASG

https://people.csiro.au/B/T/Tirtha-Bandy

Biography

I currently lead the Robot-World Interaction theme at CSIRO Robotics, Data61, which looks at manipulation and mobile manipulation for field and indoor robots to assist humans in the lab and field environments. I love working towards solving the mobility challenges for robots in cluttered, dynamic and complex 3-D environments. I have previously worked on and am currently working on addressing the mobility challenges for:
* field mobile manipulation for physical interaction with deformable environments (vegetation, soil, etc),
* magnetic foot climbing robots for industrial and confined space inspection (Magneto project),
* heritage monitoring using modular field robots in Peel Island (off the coast of Brisbane, Australia)
* a 30-DoF legged robot capable of deforming its body configuration to traverse narrow passage in confined spaces,
* autonomous kayaks for environmental monitoring in choppy and busy Singapore Harbour,
* mobility-on-demand service with autonomous vehicles in busy and crowded Singapore roads,
* remote operations with autonomous vehicles for an O&G plant in Australia,
* people following with service robots in crowded canteen environments in NUS campus.

Professional Areas

Current Roles

(2023- Present) Team Leader: Robotic Autonomy Team, Cyber Physical Systems Program, D61
TL role
(2022- present) Research Theme Lead (CPS): Robot World Interaction
I coordinate and facilitate activities within CPS-Robotics Group on research and projects on physical interaction with arms on a mobile robot.
(2015 - 2022) Cluster leader for inspection robotics
Engaging with industry to provide input on current robotics capabilities and develop a project portfolio for the RASG.
(2021 - 2022) Subcomponent lead Physical Interaction (Reimagine Farming)
Lead a team of research scientist and engineers to develop and demonstrate a prototype mobile manipulation able to interact with vegetation in natural environments.
(2015 - 2020) Research lead for modular robotics
Leading a group of students on development on field deployable modular mobility modules, eg NeWheel
(2015 - 2020) Research and Project lead for climbing robots
Developing science and engaging with industry in commercialising Magneto platform for infrastructure inspection
(2018 - 2019) AIM FSP Test Bed Leader : Morphing Machines
Lead a group of research scientists at CSIRO in developing a proposal for “Morphing Machines” to address the need for exploiting deformation in robot shapes to address field applications of search and rescue and complex navigation.
(July 2018 - Dec 2019) Project leader for Woodside AGV engagement
Development of autonomous vehicle capability for mapping and inspection of O&G plants.

Academic Qualifications

2015

Complexity Summer School (20% Acceptance Rate)
Santa Fe Institute, USA
2010

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
National University of Singapore, Singapore
2001

B.Tech
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India

Professional Experiences

2019-present

Senior Research Scientist
CSIRO
2013-2019

Research Scientist
CSIRO
2013-2013

Research Scientist
Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology
2001-2003

Software Engineer
DELMIA Robotics Pvt. Ltd
2010-2012

Post Doc Scholar (Future Urban Mobility)
Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology
2008-2010

Post Doc Scholar (Center for Environmental Sensing and Monitoring)
Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology

Grants

2018-2019

CSIRO-Woodside Autonomous Ground Robot Demonstration
2015-2015

Scholarship to CSIRO Complex Systems Science Sumer School
2014-2014

Australian Submarine Corporation scoping project

Community and Corporate Citizenship

2022-2023

Area Chair for Robotics Science and Systems (RSS)
2019-2024

Associate Editor for IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
2020-present

General Secretary of Australasian Association for Robotics and Automation
2017-present

Moderator for Australian-NZ robotics mailing list
2019-2020

General Chair for Australasian Robotics and Automation Association
2019-2020

Program Committee Multi-Robot and Multi-Agent Systems
2015-2016

Associate Editor IEEE International Conference for Robotics and Automation
2016-2016

Program Committee Australasian Conference on Robotics and Automation
2008-present

Reviewer of numerous papers for IJRR, ICRA, IROS, SIMPAR, RAL, Autonomous Systems, ISRR etc