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France24 Article – AI robot cleaners leave the lab for China’s living rooms

Posted on by Merryn Ballantyne

Great to see Dr Valeria Macalupú featured in this recent FRANCE 24 article on AI robot cleaners moving into everyday homes.

As a postdoctoral researcher in our Human-Robot Interaction program, Valeria brings deep expertise in social and care robotics, helping us understand not just what robots can do, but how people experience and trust them in real-world settings.

Her inclusion in this article highlights the growing importance of human-centred design as robots move beyond the lab and into daily life.

READ THE ARTICLE

The Conversation article: Flying taxis and delivery drones could soon crowd city skies. What happens when they fail?

Posted on by Merryn Ballantyne

Centre Director Professor Jon Roberts recently co-authored an article in The Conversation with QUT Centre for Robotics Chief Investigator Professor Luis Mejias, examining the challenges that can lead to drone failures—prompted by a recent incident at Sydney’s Vivid Festival.

The article explores the technical, environmental and operational factors that can affect drone performance in complex, real-world settings, particularly during large-scale public events. It also highlights the importance of robust system design, risk management, and regulatory oversight as drone use continues to expand.

This contribution reflects the Centre’s expertise in autonomous systems and its role in informing public understanding of emerging robotics technologies.

Read the article: Flying taxis and delivery drones could soon crowd city skies. What happens when they fail?

DIS Honourable Mention for Designing Socio-Technical Robotic Systems team

Posted on by Merryn Ballantyne

Congratulations to Jasper Vermeulen and co-authors (Glenda Caldwell, Müge Belek Fialho Teixeira, Alan Burden, and Matthias Guertler) on their Honourable Mention for their paper at the ACM DIS Conference.

“The Invisible Work of Robotic Surgery: How Specialists Support, Shoulder, and Sustain Human-Robot Collaboration” has been recognised with an Honourable Mention Award!

The paper is one of 47 Honourable Mentions selected alongside 16 Best Papers from 1,154 submissions, placing it in the top ~5% of the program.

Robots can run a marathon and play ping pong. But will they ever achieve true sporting greatness?

Posted on by Merryn Ballantyne

An article in The Conversation, co-authored by Centre Director Prof Jon Roberts and QUT Sport’s Marc Portus, explores the rapid rise of robots in sport, from marathon-running humanoids to robots competing with elite table tennis players.

The piece highlights that while robots can excel in precision, speed, and consistency, true sporting greatness goes beyond technical ability. Human performance is shaped by creativity, context, and decision-making under pressure, all elements that remain difficult to replicate. 

They argue the real opportunity is in using robotics to enhance training and better understand human performance, positioning robots as valuable partners in the future of sport.

READ THE ARTICLE

 

WROKPLACE EXPRESS ARTICLE: The rise of humanoids and their impact on work

Posted on by Merryn Ballantyne

Workplace Express has recently featured a story based on Associate Professor Penny Williams’ presentation at AIRAANZ 2026, where she shared emerging insights on the rise of AI‑enabled humanoid robots — and what this means for workers, organisations and regulators.

The article highlights why now is a critical moment to consider job quality, worker voice, regulation, and ethical adoption as humanoid capabilities advance rapidly.

(Please note: the Workplace Express article is behind a paywall.)

READ THE ARTICLE

ABC NEWS FEATURE: Humanoid capability growing rapidly

Posted on by Merryn Ballantyne

John McCormick and Swinburne’s two humanoid robots (the Unitree G1 and AGIBOT) were featured on ABC News last week, where John shared insights on the growing capabilities of humanoid robots and their potential future role in our everyday lives. The story followed global attention sparked by the impressive humanoid robot performances at China’s CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

Prof Glenda Caldwell Featured in AMTIL: Industry 5.0 and the Future of Collaborative Robotics

Posted on by Merryn Ballantyne

Deputy Director of the Australian Cobotics Centre & QUT Professor, Professor Glenda Caldwell, has been prominently featured in a recent AMTIL article exploring how Industry 5.0 is reshaping Australia’s manufacturing landscape. The piece highlights the growing importance of cobots as industry shifts toward more human‑centred, sustainable, and adaptable production systems.

In the article, Prof Caldwell explains that while Industry 4.0 focused heavily on technological advancement, Industry 5.0 calls for a deeper understanding of the human element—placing people, their needs, and their expertise at the centre of technology design and deployment. She emphasises that effective cobot integration begins with understanding the tasks workers perform, the environment they operate in, and the challenges they face.

The AMTIL article also notes the advantages of cobots, including built‑in safety sensors and the ability to work alongside people without traditional industrial barriers, making them more accessible to Australian manufacturers of all scales. Industry experts, including Weld Australia’s Dr Cornelius van Niekerk, reinforce how these features reduce infrastructure requirements while enhancing workplace safety.

Read more:
👉 AMTIL Article

Weld Connect Article

Posted on by Merryn Ballantyne

The latest Weld Connect magazine features our cobot welding project, led by Mariadas Capsran Roshan and the team at Swinburne University of Technology.

The article explores how collaborative robotic welding systems can use adaptive control and real-time sensing to improve weld quality, reduce defects, and make welding processes smarter and more efficient.

Check out the full article on page 14 here: Weld Connect – Weld Australia

IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO) 2025

Posted on by Merryn Ballantyne

PhD Researchers, Jagannatha Pyaraka and Danial Rizvi presented papers at ROBIO 2025, the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, which took place in China from 3–7 December.

  • Real-Time Human-Object Interaction Recognition Using Minimal Keypoints and Bi-LSTM for Imitation Learning,  Jagannatha Charjee Pyaraka, Mats Isaksson, John McCormick, (Swinburne University of Technology) Fouad Sukkar, and Sheila Sutjipto (UTS Robotics Institute)
  • Toward Plug-and-Play Asset Management: Spot-Based Visual Surveying in Untagged Industrial Spaces, Danial Rizvi, Gavin Paul, Amal Gunatilake, (University of Technology Sydney) and Mariadas Capsran Roshan (Swinburne University of Technology)