POSTED: 13 Jan, 2026

Continuing our 2025 program highlights, today we celebrate Program 3: Designing Socio‑Technical Robotic Systems led by A/Prof Müge Belek Fialho Teixeira and Dr Matthias Guertler, with postdoc Dr Alan Burden.

Here’s what stood out in 2025

• Industry‑embedded research
  • Ongoing progress analysing Mako‑assisted surgeries, strengthening our evidence base for real‑world surgical HRC.
  • Expanded collaboration with B&R Enclosures, including commencement of a new proof‑of‑concept project.
  • a new University of Technology Sydney‑led socio‑technical cobot integration project that investigates the socio‑technical complexity of cobot workplaces to improve cobot selection and integration.
• High‑impact research outputs
  • Book Chapter published in Extended Realities, Virtual Environment, and Interactive Experiences. “Extended reality in human‑robot collaboration: Present and future.” By Yuan Liu, Glenda Caldwell, Müge Belek Fialho Teixeira, Markus Rittenbruch, Alan Burden, Matthias Guertler (https://lnkd.in/g5HJAESC)
  • Multiple publications and presentations at HRI2025, including the VAM‑HRI Workshop, co‑organised by Glenda Caldwell, Jasper Vermeulen, and Alan Burden.
  • Extensive presence at OzCHI: Australian Conference on Computer-Human Interaction 2025, including a provocation talk.
• Media Mentions
  • Alan Burden featured in Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and News.com.au’s coverage of humanoid robotics:
    https://lnkd.in/ghaecFsB
    https://lnkd.in/gjddj5Zn
  • Müge Belek Fialho Teixeira in The Guardian on sustainable robotic construction:
    https://lnkd.in/ghMn2KrJ
  • Talks, podcasts & workshops shaping public conversation
  • Queensland Orthopeadic Research Fund (QORF) talks:
    – An analysis of non‑technical skills in total knee and hip arthroplasty surgeries using the Mako Robotic System — Jasper Vermeulen
    – Robotics & Injury: How they help and how future designs prevent harm — Alan Burden
  • QUT Digital Media Research Centre podcast – PhD researcher, Jasper Vermeulen featured discussing real‑world surgical robotics research.
    https://lnkd.in/gxKR4GnB
• Awards & recognition
  • Top 10 Cited Paper of 2024 (MDPI Robotics) — Yuan Liu
  • QUT Faculty of Engineering Best Poster Award — Yuan Liu
  • HDR Spotlight on Success Award — Jasper Vermeulen

Congratulations to the entire Program for another excellent year!