Presidency School of Artificial Intelligence & Advanced Computing (PSAIAC), Department of AI & Robotics, in association with SIGMA – Special Interest Group (Mobile Apps), organised an expert session titled “Recent Trends and Challenges in Mobile Robots” on 16 October 2026 at Presidency University, Bengaluru.

 

The session was delivered by Dr Arockia Selvakumar Arockia Doss, Professor of Robotics at VIT Chennai and Founder and Managing Director of LeoMax Pvt. Ltd. He introduced students to key concepts, emerging technologies and practical challenges in mobile robotics and autonomous systems.

 

The technical discussion covered sensor technologies and their classifications, as well as range-sensing methods such as sonar, laser rangefinders, time-of-flight cameras and structured-light sensing. Participants also explored GPS-based positioning, including time-of-flight measurements and trilateration, alongside practical challenges such as signal interference, synchronisation and measurement accuracy.

 

Using examples of humanoid robots, industrial robotic arms, mobile robotic platforms, legged robots and aerial robots, the resource person demonstrated the perse applications of robotics.

 

Additional topics included robot components, control schemes, perception, locomotion, path planning, motion control, hybrid robots, battery recycling, and career and entrepreneurial opportunities in robotics.

 

The session connected fundamental technical concepts with real-world applications, helping students develop a broader understanding of how mobile robots sense their surroundings, estimate their positions, navigate environments and perform tasks autonomously.

 

Convenor: Dr Zafar Ali Khan N, Professor and Head, Department of AI & Robotics, PSAIAC

 

Faculty Co-ordinators: Ms Anupama M. Patil and Ms Priyanki Dutta, Assistant Professors

 

Student Co-ordinators: Ms Mrudula N, President, SIGMA; Mr Vinod Kumar Vemegal Raviprasad, Vice-President, SIGMA; and Ms Lakshmi J, Secretary, SIGMA