Weikang Zeng, new CO4SYS PhD student

Can you introduce yourself in a few words?

I'm a new PhD student in computer science at the LCIS laboratory. My research focuses on all types of robotics, vision, and artificial intelligence.

What's your background (education, experience...)?

I previously obtained my bachelor's degree in electrical automation from the University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, followed by a master's degree in Sciences, Technology, and Health with a specialization in Embedded Microsystems Instrumentation and Robotics at the same university. I also worked on some interesting robotics projects, including an optimization project for analyzing the performance of a mobile robot for navigation after fusion of multi-sensor data at Supmicrotech-Ensmm. Additionally, there was the implementation of optimizing the LIDAR navigation system of the humanoid robot Talos in terms of machine learning at the LAAS-CNRS laboratory in Toulouse.

Can you briefly explain your thesis topic?

The topic of my thesis is "Improving Long-Term Development of Artificial Agents, such as Robots, by Allowing Them to Construct Their Own Representations". Specifically, we want to reproduce certain emotional mechanisms of natural agents that emerge from simple representations, such as fear, boredom, and frustration which lead the agent to re-evaluate its approach and objectives. Through the combination of previous skills and iterative generation of new advanced skills and representations, agents can develop over long periods and evolve into complex behaviors such as social communication and emotion propagation. In the long run, agents will be able to exchange their experience and coordinate to accomplish more complex tasks such as foraging, with group distribution and collaborative manipulation!

Where can you be found? How can one reach you?

You can find me on LinkedIn or on my personal page https://weikang-zeng.com/ . You can contact me by email: weikang.zenglcis.grenoble-inp.fr (weikang[dot]zeng[at]lcis[dot]grenoble-inp[dot]fr) .