# Episode 74: Teaching robots to grasp - Edward Johns

- Show: [Robot Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk)
- Published: 2024-02-23
- Length: 29m
- Episode: 74
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-02-23-episode-74-teaching-robots-to-grasp-edward-johns
- Listen: https://ukrobotics.libsyn.com/episode-seventy-four-edward-johns

## Summary

Edward Johns, Director of the Robot Learning Lab at Imperial College London, discusses the challenges of robotic manipulation, arguing that the bottleneck is currently AI and control rather than hardware. He explains his lab's use of imitation learning, where robots learn by being physically guided, and details the Dali Bot project, which uses AI image generators to help robots visualize task goals. Johns outlines applications ranging from warehouse sorting to flexible manufacturing and long-term domestic robots, while noting the significant data scarcity in robotics compared to other AI fields.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-02-23-episode-74-teaching-robots-to-grasp-edward-johns#t=8) Introduction: Edward Johns and the Robot Learning Lab
- [2:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-02-23-episode-74-teaching-robots-to-grasp-edward-johns#t=130) The Challenge of Robotic Manipulation and Diversity of Tasks
- [6:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-02-23-episode-74-teaching-robots-to-grasp-edward-johns#t=364) Sensory Feedback: Vision vs. Tactile Sensing
- [8:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-02-23-episode-74-teaching-robots-to-grasp-edward-johns#t=484) Imitation Learning: Physical Guidance and Control Policies
- [14:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-02-23-episode-74-teaching-robots-to-grasp-edward-johns#t=847) Dali Bot: Using AI Image Generators as an Imagination Engine
- [19:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-02-23-episode-74-teaching-robots-to-grasp-edward-johns#t=1185) Real-World Applications: Warehouses, Manufacturing, and Domestic Robots
- [25:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-02-23-episode-74-teaching-robots-to-grasp-edward-johns#t=1537) The Imperial College Robotics Forum and Multidisciplinary Collaboration

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Imperial College London (company)
- Robot Learning Lab (other)
- Dali Bot (product)
- Dyson Robotics Lab (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The inside scoop on food manufacturing with Chef Robotics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-05-31-the-inside-scoop-on-food-manufacturing-with-chef-robotics) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [The Future Of Food Automation: How Chef Robotics Tackles Labor Shortages With Ai Robots](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-11-27-the-future-of-food-automation-how-chef-robotics-tackles-labor-shortages-with-ai) (Over the Air)
- [Ep. 17: Today's Humanoid Robots Have Toddler Hands, Not Adult Ones.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robo-success-podcast/2026-09-08-ep-17-todays-humanoid-robots-have-toddler-hands-not-adult-ones) (The Robo Success Podcast)
- [Why Traditional Robotics Data Collection Is Obsolete and What Replaces It](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-05-08-why-traditional-robotics-data-collection-is-obsolete-and-what-replaces-it) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Moving From Generative to Physical AI on the Manufacturing Floor w/ Etienne Lacroix](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-05-12-moving-from-generative-to-physical-ai-on-the-manufacturing-floor-w-etienne-lacro) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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