People

Thomas M. Kwok is a Postdoctoral Scholar working on shared autonomy for teleoperated robots. Previously, he was a Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). He holds a Ph.D. in Integrative Sciences and Engineering (Biomedical Engineering) from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and a B.Eng. and M.Phil. in Mechanical and Automation Engineering from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). His research interests include robotics, rehabilitation engineering, and human-robot interaction.

Contact: thomasm.kwok@uwaterloo.ca

Geoffrey Hanks is Mechanical Engineering PhD student started in Fall 2024. Geoffrey obtained his MASc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in August 2024 at the AIRLab. Geoffrey's research is on learning from demonstration applied to robot control.

Anas Mahdi is a PhD student in System Design Engineering, co-supervised by Prof. Katja Mombaur at the CERC in Human-Centred Robotics and Machine Intelligence (HCRMI).

JaeEun is a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Mechatronic Engineering at the University of Waterloo. She is co-supervised with Prof. Leah Zhang-Kennedy and the Safe Interactions Lab. Her research interests lie in human-robot interaction, especially in privacy and cybersecurity risks in social robots. Her current research explores privacy perception in child-robot interaction and the design of safe interactions with humanoid social robots.

I am a recent Mechatronics graduate from Ain Shams University in Egypt. With a passion for robotics, humanoids, and human-robot interactions, I have embarked on a new academic journey by joining the Spring 2023 semester for a Master of Applied Science (MASc) program. My specific interest lies in the field of robotics, where I am fascinated by the development of intelligent machines that can interact and cooperate with humans. I am particularly drawn to humanoid robots, which possess human-like characteristics and abilities, enabling them to perform tasks in a manner that is more relatable and compatible with human expectations. In pursuing my MASc, I am eager to delve deeper into the realm of robotics and explore advanced topics related to humanoid robots and human-robot interactions. I aim to contribute to the development of intelligent machines that can work alongside humans in a safe, efficient, and collaborative manner. By integrating my knowledge of mechatronics, robotics, and human-robot interactions, I hope to make significant contributions to this rapidly evolving field. I am co-supervised by Yue Hu from A.I.R Lab and Kerstin Dauntehaun from SIRRL are conducting research in social human-robot interactions (HRI).

Ana is a second year Mechatronics Engineering student, working on the control for collaborative robot arms.

Josh is a first year Mechatronics Engineering student. Josh works on using the humanoid robot NAO as physical therapist.