Thomas Cairnes

Email: pd18523@bristol.ac.uk

Supervisors: Nathan Lepora

PhD Project Title: Multi-Modal Manipulation Systems using proprioception and touch for soft objects

Research Group: Tactile Robotics

Biography

My background is in Computer Science which I studied at Leeds University before joining the CDT programme here. Since joining my research interests have become focused on the applications of tactile technology and how various machine learning methods can help us produce control strategies for difficult to handle objects.

To pursue this interest I am undertaking a project involving difficult object interaction using a Model-O hand and 3 smaller versions of the TacTip Sensor developed in BRL. I’m aiming to use machine and deep learning methods to produce handling strategies for various highly resistive or malleable objects.