# Episode Four - Robot Senses: perceiving the world

- Show: [Robot Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk)
- Published: 2021-01-29
- Length: 34m
- Episode: 4
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world
- Listen: https://ukrobotics.libsyn.com/episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world

## Summary

Matt Watson of Opteran Technologies explains how reverse-engineering honeybee brains enables efficient, low-power collision avoidance and SLAM, contrasting this with the high compute demands of supervised deep learning. Dr. Perla Maiolino of the Oxford Robotics Institute discusses CySkin, a flexible, large-area artificial skin using capacitive triangular modules for tactile perception and manipulation. Dr. Dimitrios Kanoulas of UCL addresses the challenge of fusing multi-sensor data (LiDAR, cameras, IMUs) to handle uncertainty and real-time planning in dynamic, unstructured environments.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world#t=7) Introduction: Robot Senses and Machine Vision
- [1:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world#t=95) Matt Watson on Opteran and Bee Brain AI
- [7:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world#t=443) Commercializing Bee Brain: Collision Avoidance and SLAM
- [11:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world#t=662) LiDAR, Radar, and the Limits of Visual Sensing
- [13:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world#t=819) Perla Maiolino on Tactile Perception and CySkin
- [18:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world#t=1089) CySkin: Flexible PCB and Large Area Sensing
- [24:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world#t=1469) Dimitrios Kanoulas on Multi-Sensor Fusion
- [29:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world#t=1760) Handling Uncertainty and Real-Time Planning

## Topics

- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Opteran Technologies (company)
- CySkin (product)
- LiDAR (tool)
- Oxford Robotics Institute (company)
- University College London (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Event-Driven E-Skins Protect Both Robots and Humans](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans) (EE Times Current)
- [George Konidaris on Realtime Robotics future; Intel LiDAR update](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-09-03-george-konidaris-on-realtime-robotics-future-intel-lidar-update) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [State of robotic perception with RGo Robotics' Amir Bousani](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-05-27-state-of-robotic-perception-with-rgo-robotics-amir-bousani) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Event-Driven E-Skins Protect Both Robots and Humans](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans-6d461685) (EE Times Current)
- [Giving the Humanoid iCub Embodied, Neuromorphic Vision](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2024-02-09-giving-the-humanoid-icub-embodied-neuromorphic-vision) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Robot Talk.