معرفی
Dr Ze Ji is Reader of Robotics and Autonomous Systems at Cardiff University’s School of Engineering, where he leads the Robotics and Autonomous Intelligent Machines (RAIM) group and directs the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Laboratory. He is Co-Investigator and theme leader for the ERDF-funded IROHMS research centre and holds a Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellowship hosted by Spirent Communications Ltd.
Education
- PhD in Engineering, Cardiff University (2007) – EU FP6 TAI-CHI project
- MSc, Cardiff University
- BEng, Cardiff University
Research Interests
Dr Ji’s research centres on Robot Perception And Learning (RoPAL), spanning:
- Simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM)
- Deep reinforcement learning for navigation and manipulation
- Human-robot collaboration & digital-twin based fatigue management
- Vision, tactile sensing, and smart sensing systems
- Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and UAV coordination
- Physics-based differentiable simulation for elastoplastic material handling
Publications Trend
Since 2021 Dr Ji has authored >120 peer-reviewed papers. A dominant theme is mapless navigation via hierarchical and preference-based reinforcement learning for ground, aerial and surface robots. Parallel streams investigate human-centric manufacturing (digital twins for fatigue-aware assembly), vision-based tactile sensing, defect detection on steel, and orchard robotics (green-fruit segmentation), all underpinned by deep learning and rigorous real-world validation.
Scientific Awards & Fellowships
- Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellowship
- EU FP6 Best Exhibit Prize, Helsinki 2006 (TAI-CHI project)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Grants & Centres
- Principal Investigator, EPSRC-funded differentiable physics project (2025)
- Co-Investigator, IROHMS (ERDF/WEFO)
- Industrial Fellowship with Spirent Communications Ltd
Laboratory & Facilities
Dr Ji manages the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Laboratory, housing two KUKA LBR iiwa robots, Robotnik Vogui+, three KUKA YouBots, TurtleBots, drones, advanced 3-D vision systems, and sensors. The lab has also produced two student-built USVs (unmanned surface vehicles) for maritime research.
