Michelle Dunn is a Research Program Co-lead in the Quality Assurance and Compliance Program where her research explores practical applications of robotics to improve everyday life. Her work spans manufacturing robotics and automation that make work easier, collaborative robotics that enable humans and robots to work safely side by side, and assistive technologies designed to support people in their daily activities.
We interviewed Michelle recently to find out more about why she does what she does.
Tell us a little about your role at the Australian Cobotics Centre.
What is your research focus and how does it contribute to the Centre’s mission?
I am the co-lead of Program 4 which looks at Quality Assurance and Compliance in Collaborative Robot scenarios. We focus on the outcomes of industrial and cobotic automation, ensuring that the solutions are working as intended.
What has been a highlight of your time with the Centre so far?
This could be a moment, a project, a collaboration, anything that stands out.
I particularly enjoyed the ACC 2024 Symposium in Brisbane. I think at the 3 year mark everyone in the centre was settled in, we knew each other, and we were showcasing some great solutions, so there was plenty of great conversations and ideas. I’m looking forward to the 2025 instalment.
What would you like your impact to be within the Centre and in the broader field of collaborative robotics?
Traditionally robots have focused on the three Ds – dirty, dangerous and dull jobs. Collaborative robots are designed to work with people, so we aren’t just looking at the 3-D jobs. Instead, we are looking at working with people in a broader variety of occupations. I’d like to see more cobots introduced into SMEs to assist with daily tasks and support small businesses – this is where we can make real impact.
What project or achievement are you most proud of in your career to date, and why?
What motivates me to do my job is having a direct impact on people’s lives – this is my goal in every project I’m part of. Some examples include: working as an automotive software engineer as my first job out of uni (there are cars in China that change gears based on the code that I wrote); my post-doc in vehicle crashworthiness (the value of which I unfortunately experienced firsthand); and educating literally thousands of students in Australia on how to design and build robots and become better engineers, which has flow-on effects to the whole community.
What do you find most rewarding about being part of the Australian Cobotics Centre?
The ACC is full of some of the best roboticists, engineers and researchers in Australia. It has been very rewarding to work with all these people, seeing how they think and fostering the development of the next batch of robotics thinkers. Even though we are separated across different parts of Australia, we find a way to make it work. ACC researchers are EPIC (Excellent. People-Centric. Innovative. Collaborative.)
If you could give an impromptu 1-hour talk on any topic outside your research, what would it be?
I am an avid maker and creator. I focus on textiles and, being an engineer, my creations tend to be quite mathematical and “constructed” (you should see my kids’ costumes for Book Week!). I love pushing the boundaries of existing techniques, old and new. I could definitely talk about the technology and mathematics of textile creation for hours!
