IEEE UK & Ireland RAS Chapter – ECR Lecturer-Series – User-Centred Machine Learning for Assistive Robotics, Dr. Fernando E. Casado

#robotics #HRI #RAS #Early-Career #artificial-intelligence #assistive

IEEE UK and Ireland – RAS Chapter
Early-Career Researcher Seminar

More information: Link

Speaker:   Dr. Fernando E. Casado

Research Associate, Personal Robotics Lab (PRL), Imperial College London

Fernando is a Research Associate at the Personal Robotics Lab, Imperial College London, UK. He received his B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence from the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, between 2017 and 2022. His research interests focus on privacy-aware, multi-robot and multi-user machine learning for modelling, adaptation, and personalisation of robotic behaviours in trustworthy  human–robot interaction.

Abstract:
Assistive robots can greatly enhance the  independence and quality of life of those most in need. However,  developing intelligent robotic systems that learn to help and adapt  to users remains challenging. Unlike other AI applications, assistive robotics faces data scarcity due to the high cost of real-world data collection and the need for human-in-the-loop learning and personalisation. As personal robots are deployed in homes, vast amounts of sensitive interaction data (such as gaze, facial expressions, and environmental context) will become available. Effectively leveraging this data requires machine learning strategies that integrate the user while protecting their privacy. In this seminar, we will explore techniques such as continual and, federated learning along with learning from demonstration, to help robots acquire complex skills and adapt over time. We will also discuss how sensor data can improve human-robot understanding, particularly through multimodal fusion for intention prediction, shared control, and assessing trust in the robot. Real-world applications, including robotic wheelchairs, will be used to illustrate the challenges and benefits of user-centred learning for assistive robotics.

About the Series:
This lecture is part of the IEEE UK & Ireland RAS Chapter Early-Career Researcher Seminar Series, which highlights promising young researchers in robotics and automation.

Organisers:
IEEE UK & Ireland RAS Chapter

Registration
IEEE and non-IEEE Members are invited to register and participate.

Date: 1 October 2025
Time: 11:00 – 12:15 (London Time)

• 11:00 – 11:05 | Welcome & Introduction – IEEE UK & Ireland RAS Chapter

• 11:05 – 11:50 | User-Centred Machine Learning for Assistive Robotics
  Speaker: Dr. Fernando E. Casado, Imperial College London

• 11:50 – 12:15 | Live Q&A Session with the Speaker and Closing Remarks & Upcoming Events