Neil Fernandes
Hello there! I'm an MASc student at the University of Waterloo,
working with Dr. rer. nat. Kerstin Dautenhahn and
Dr. rer. nat. Yue Hu on Robotic Systems and Human-Robot Interaction. I hold a BASc in Mechatronics Engineering (Summa Cum Laude) also from Waterloo.
During my undergraduate studies, I gained valuable experience as an Intern at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada and Huawei.
As a digital nomad passionate about advancing robotics, my primary goal is to develop safe and secure robots capable of interacting with humans in diverse scenarios. I'm particularly interested in creating algorithms that enhance robot intelligence and overall adaptability. I am also interested in research relating to vision algorithms and manipulation tasks for robots.
My research trajectory revolves around the ever-evolving field of human-robot interaction, emphasizing the development of robots that can be seamlessly integrated into society. Specifically, I aim to pioneer advancements in social intelligence along with controls for robots (coordinating robots for task specification), challenging the conventional use of robots in mundane manufacturing tasks. I believe that social robots should be adaptable and dynamic, evolving with the latest technologies to bring novelty and a genuine connection to their core. With these tools, robots can be assimilated into the household, bringing a new era to how we live.
The overarching goal is to transition robots from their conventional roles in manufacturing towards becoming integral members of our lives, seamlessly blending into society. I would mainly look at adaptive human robot collaboration that allows robots to dynamically colaborate with humans in various environments and study the nuances behind these techniques. I would also look into multi modal techniques to make robots more socially acceptable, where I would investigate visual, auditory and tactile feedback systems to enhance approcahability
and user experience of such robots around humans. I aim to contribute to the transformation of robotics from mere functional tools to socially intelligent robots, capable of enriching human experiences and fostering meaningful connections in diverse societal contexts.
Please reach out if you also find this interesting!
Research Interests LinkedIn Twitter Curriculum Vitae
firstname [dot] lastname [at] uwaterloo [dot] ca
2025
Jim & Diane Ohi Memorial Award, University of Waterloo2024
Yang Family Graduate Scholarship in Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo2022
President's Research Award, University of Waterloo2019
President's Entrance Scholarship, University of WaterlooGraduate Teaching Assistant
W2026
ECE 493/ ECE 767: Introduction to Social RoboticsUndergraduate and Graduate Course, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo
F2025
ECE 150: Fundamentals of ProgrammingUndergraduate Course, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo
S2025
MTE 220: Sensors and InstrumentationUndergraduate Course, Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
W2025
GENE 123: Introduction to Electrical CircuitsUndergraduate Course, Management Engineering, University of Waterloo
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
S2021
ME 123: Introduction to Electrical CircuitsUndergraduate Course, Mechanical Engineering, University of Waterloo
MTE 120: Introduction to Electrical Circuits
Undergraduate Course, Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
Conference Reviewer, ICML '25
Conference Reviewer, RO-MAN '25
Conference Reviewer, CVIS '24