Abhiram Karukayil

Heriot-Watt University

Papers

2

Total Citations

8

H-Index

2

About

Dr. Abhiram Karukayil is a robotics researcher whose work sits at the intersection of computer vision, embodied AI, and industrial automation. He is best known for tackling the notoriously difficult problem of vision-based manipulation of transparent and reflective objects—a critical gap in modern robotics. His 2025 paper on manipulating transparent plastic bags in industrial settings, already garnering 4 citations, directly addresses a key bottleneck in the Industry 4.0 paradigm by enabling autonomous cutting and unpacking of non-rigid, visually ambiguous materials. Complementing this technical work, Dr. Karukayil co-authored "FurChat" (2023, 4 citations), which demonstrated how large language models can power an embodied conversational agent—a Furhat robot—to blend open-domain dialogue with expressive facial cues, functioning as a dynamic receptionist. This work bridges the gap between conversational AI and physical robotics, showcasing how LLMs can drive engaging, context-aware human-robot interaction. By combining rigorous manipulation research with cutting-edge dialogue systems, Dr. Karukayil is helping to define the next generation of autonomous robots that can both see and converse in complex, real-world environments.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

2
H-Index
2
Papers
8
Total Citations
4
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Vision-based manipulation of transparent plastic bags in industrial setups
4 citations · 2025
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2025 (1 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 20
🏛 Institutions: Heriot-Watt University

Top Papers

  1. 1
  2. 2

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 12 days ago