I am a Lecturer in Mechatronic and Robotic Engineering at Western Sydney University (WSU), as well as a Core Member and Assistant Stream Leader for Automation and Robotics at the WSU Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Technology in the School of Engineering, Design, and Built Environment.

Prior to joining WSU, I worked as a Research Fellow at the Robotics Institute, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), from April 2018 to February 2024. During this time, I served as Chief Investigator and Milestone Lead for several government and industry-funded research projects. I completed my PhD in 2018 at the UTS Robotics Institute, specializing in smart sensing. I also hold an MSc in Mechatronics from the University of Newcastle, UK (2013), and a BE in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering from Anna University, India (2011).

I teach courses in the mechatronics and robotics disciplines and currently serve as the Subject Coordinator and Lecturer for MECH3001 Advanced Dynamics, MECH3006 Mechatronic Design, and ELEC2008 Microcontrollers and PLCs.

I actively engage with professional communities in sensing and robotics and hold prominent executive positions on national and international committees within the IEEE Sensors Council and the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.

My research is driven by the goal of enabling human-level sensing, perception and world understanding in robots operating in real-world, diverse environments.

I direct the Smart Sensing and Robotics Laboratory (SensR Lab), where I bridge theory and practice to advance sensing technologies for next-generation robotic autonomy.

My research centers on three key areas:

1. Novel Sensing Technologies: Developing novel sensors to explore previously undetected environmental parameters or to enhance the precision and reliability of existing measurements.
2. Robotic Perception with Unconventional Sensors: Exploring the use of non-traditional sensing technologies to improve perception in complex environments.
3. Physical AI and Interaction: Developing advanced models for sensor analytics, diagnostics, and human-robot interaction through data-driven approaches, deep learning, LLMs, and spatio-temporal modeling.

 As a Chief Investigator, my research is supported by funding from the Australian Research Council, Digital Health CRC, NBN Co, Sydney Water, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, and other organizations. I have collaborated with over 35 companies and 10 research institutions across Australia, the USA, the UK, Canada, Germany, Finland, Denmark, and India.

My work has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the National Research Innovation Award (2020) and the NSW Student Water Prize (2018). It has also been featured in more than 20 media articles and has played a significant role in shaping key industry policies, such as the NBN Corporate Plan (2023, 2024) and Sydney Water's Innovation Research Strategy.

My research interests focus on developing novel sensing techniques, exploring unconventional sensors for robotic perception, and advancing methods for physical AI and interaction. These advancements have diverse applications, including:

• Field Robotics
• Assistive Robotics and Technologies
• Robotics for Advanced Manufacturing in Industry 5.0
• Environmental Monitoring

These research interests align with the work at the SensR Lab, driving innovation in both foundational robotics research and impactful applications across industries.