At eleven years old, Mahanthesh Ramchandra’s fascination with robotics was ignited by a friend’s older brother, an engineering student, who was building a robot for a capstone project. “I was completely captivated,” Ramchandra recalls. “What drew me in wasn’t just the technology, but the idea that you could create something tangible, something you could hold, feel, and physically interact with – something that existed in the real world, not just on a screen.” Less than a year later, Ramchandra built his own robot and ventured into the Google Science Fair, marking the beginning of his engineering journey.
Now, Ramchandra is the newest engineer at the Human Fusions Institute at Case Western Reserve University. His decision to join HFI was fueled by his excitement about the organization’s bimanual robots, haptic feedback systems, and virtual reality integration work. The prospect of working in a collaborative team that merges research and product development was a thrilling one for him. He sees himself as someone who thrives at the intersection of research and practical application. “Whether it’s securing $30K in grant funding for haptic glove development or winning hackathons with autonomous feeding systems, I love turning ambitious ideas into reality,” he said. “I believe the best robotics work happens when you can touch, feel, and interact with what you’re building – which is exactly what HFI is all about.”
Bringing significant experience from developing feeding assistance platforms at Cleveland State University and designing haptic feedback gloves at Quantanx Technologies, Ramchandra is well-equipped to contribute to HFI’s bimanual robot system controlled by haptic feedback. His work at these institutions has honed his skills in reducing system latency, making teleoperation more seamless, and ensuring precise and immediate haptic feedback. He is committed to creating a moment where the boundary between human and robot doesn’t exist.
With over 30 hackathon wins under his belt, Ramchandra is eager to work with the various robots at HFI, from bimanual robotic arms to humanoid and soft robots. “What I’m most excited about is the moment when we achieve truly seamless human-robot interaction, where operating the robot feels as natural as using your own hands,” he said. “There’s something deeply satisfying about building technology that people can physically interact with and feel connected to. I love turning ambitious ideas into reality. I believe the best robotics work happens when you can touch, feel, and interact with what you’re building.”
Outside of the engineering arena, Ramchandra enjoys rock climbing and slacklining.