POSTED: 25 Nov, 2024

Bochao Xu is an Associate PhD researcher based at the University of Technology Sydney, and he is part of the Designing Socio-Technical Robotic Systems program at the Australian Cobotics Centre. We interviewed Bochao recently to find out more about why he does what he does.

• Tell us a bit about yourself and your research with the Centre? Include the long-term impact of what you are doing.

I completed my undergraduate studies at UNSW in 2020 with a double degree in mechatronics engineering and commerce. Before I decided to do a PhD, I worked in an industrial robot research institute and an industrial AI company. I started my PhD in February 2023 at UTS and joined ACC in September 2023 as an associate researcher. My main research interest is in how small to medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMMEs) can be supported in adopting technologies. Since joining ACC, my research has also looked into how cobots can be adopted together with other technologies. SMMEs with restricted time, knowledge, and resources face many challenges in adopting not only cobots but also other technologies while focusing on their daily operations. However, adopting technology to raise competitive advantages should not only be a success story for large companies. Therefore, my research aims to address the difficulties and provide guidance for the best practices in technology adoption.

Why did you decide to be a part of the Australian Cobotics Centre?

I decided to join ACC after my supervisor and the centre offered me the opportunity. I am pleased to be part of the large research community to share and communicate my ideas. It is amazing how experts from different disciplines come together to push the research frontier of cobots. I am sure that ACC has made lots of contributions to not only cobotic research but also benefiting the Australian community, and I am glad to be part of the contribution.

• What project are you most proud of throughout your career and why?

My current PhD project is certainly the project that I am most proud of. PhD has allowed me to conduct in-depth investigations of the topic I am interested in and make robust arguments on its importance. Progressing in the PhD project has given me the knowledge and rationales of how I can support the research and society in the field I am passionate about.

• What do you hope the long-term impact of your work will be?

Supporting SMMEs in technology adoption has always been my first priority. One of the requirements that I know I have to fulfil in my PhD study is to create something practical and sustainable even after the completion of my study. As we are in an era of rapid technological developments, my research should not only support the adoption of contemporary technology but also any future technologies. I hope my research can set the baseline and provide equal opportunities to SMMEs who are keen on seeking growth opportunities through technology adoption.

• Aside from your research, what topic could you give an hour-long presentation on with little to no preparation?

I usually prepare a script before going to any presentation, as I understand that every presentation is an opportunity for knowledge sharing, and I would not want to miss any important messages and details. I try to imagine how the audience might react while writing the script. Therefore, I have very limited experience with long presentations without preparation. However, I recently had a new experience without much preparation when giving a short talk about the culture of my hometown in celebration of the Moon Festival. I was happy that the audience liked my presentation and thought a presentation without preparation might be doable for me as well. If I were to give another presentation without preparation, it would be about food and cooking, time management, or personal and family accounting, which are my hobbies and interests.