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Artificial Fingertip for Prosthetic Hands and Humanoids

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Thermal and Proximity Sensing in Humanoid Robot Hand

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About Me

Research & Projects.

Robotic Sensor Design

Tactile Sensing Artificial Fingertip for Prosthetics and Humanoids

Developed for human hand prosthetics and humanoid robotic hands, offering high-density touch sensitivity in a compact form factor, similar in size to a typical human fingertip. This fingertip was developed during my research work in tactile sensing.

Firmware Library

Thermal and Proximity Sensing in Humanoid Robot Hand

Firmware Library for Acquiring Thermal and Proximity Sensor Data from a Robotic Hand Designed by a London-Based Firm

Sensor Design

Tactile Sensing Module with a Dense Arrangement of Sensors

This tactile sensing module was developed to evaluate the application of closely arranged barometer sensors in tactile sensing.


Embedded Controller

Tactile Controller

A 32-bit embedded controller module developed to efficiently retrieve and process tactile sensor data.


Computer Vision and Robotic Navigation

Vacuum Cleaner Robot: Object Detection and Navigation

One of my projects involved a vacuum cleaner robot developed by a German consumer appliances firm, where I focused on computer vision and navigation for a differential wheel drive robot.


AI - Computer Vision

Real-Time Traffic Monitoring Using Darknet (YOLO)

This application uses the YOLO (You Only Look Once) object detection algorithm for real-time traffic monitoring. The system processes video streams using the Darknet framework to detect various objects, such as vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic signs. The model is trained on the Microsoft COCO dataset, which includes a wide variety of annotated images for object detection tasks. With YOLO’s speed and accuracy, this traffic monitoring system is well-suited for smart city applications, traffic flow analysis, and vehicle counting. Further optimizations and techniques, such as transfer learning, can be applied to enhance performance for specific traffic scenarios.

AI - Computer Vision

Handwritten Digit Recognition App Using CNN

An application that recognizes handwritten digits using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Trained on the MNIST dataset, the model is integrated with a user-friendly GUI built using PyTkinter.

Computer Networks - IoT

Client-Server Architecture for IoT Data Transmission over HTTP/HTTPS

A client-server architecture for transmitting data packets over HTTP/HTTPS, designed for IoT applications. This setup is used for homegrown plant monitoring and vehicle status tracking, offering a cost-effective alternative to MQTT for lightweight, low-traffic communication needs. It’s ideal for simple IoT ecosystems where frequent or intensive data exchange isn't necessary.

Other Projects

List of Other Projects I have Worked On

I’ve worked on a variety of projects based on my interests and the challenges I encountered along my journey. These projects span across AI, Computer Networking, Linux, GUI, Terminal tools, as well as Robotics and Electronics. I’ve documented and published them on GitHub. This section includes a list of those projects along with their corresponding GitHub URLs.

About Me.

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I am Viki (officially VN, representing the initials of my first and last name). By profession, I am a software architect specializing in embedded systems and IoT, with over a decade and a half of experience in the software industry, including nearly decade at a leading California-based computer networking company famously associated with the San Francisco Bridge (a hint, if you're curious about the company). In addition, I have worked as a consulting software architect and manager for more than five years, supporting clients across Europe and the UK. I have collaborated with and led teams of engineers from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, including professionals from France, Belgium, the UK, Russia, and South Asia. I have built solutions including robotic sensors, artificial intelligence applications, embedded firmware, and Linux-based software for industries such as robotics, computer networking and telecommunications, IoT, and automotive engineering.

My academic background includes a master’s degree from Germany, specializing in Computer Science and Robotics, which provided me with a fundamental understanding of robotics, sensors, and the building blocks of artificial intelligence. During my studies, I had the opportunity to work with robots, from humanoids to autonomous vacuum cleaner robots, as well as in artificial intelligence areas such as computer vision and explainable AI.

One of my most significant achievements is the development of a high-density tactile fingertip module for prosthetic hands and humanoid robots, which is detailed on my research and projects page. In my home lab, I have created over 50 open-source projects, ranging from embedded hardware and AI applications to over-the-air update utilities, Linux utilities, and sensor modules, all of which are documented on my GitHub ( check my project list page).

I have a strong interest in computing, electronics, and robotics, and I enjoy researching their interdisciplinary applications, which can be applied to various domains to improve existing processes in the target domain, thereby optimizing both efficiency and cost.

My technical skills include programming in C and Python, and I have developed applications in various other languages, adapting to each based on project requirements. In addition to programming, I actively work on data analysis and organization using the awk programming language, as well as concepts like regular expressions and relational databases, which I frequently apply for debugging, data parsing, and structuring information.

Alongside my software and data analysis work, I have practical expertise in using the KiCAD EDA tool and CAD modeling with Solid Edge, particularly for embedded systems and robotic sensor module design.

Contact Me.

You can get in touch with me at hello@viki.design