Maleen Jayasuriya

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Maleen Jayasuriya

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Maleen Jayasuriya is a Lecturer in Robotics at the University of Canberra’s Faculty of Science and Engineering with a research focus on human-robot interaction and explainable AI (XAI) in robotics. Maleen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Sri Lanka and a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney, where his research focused on robot perception, localisation, and deep learning. He later completed a postdoctoral fellowship at UTS, contributing to research on collaborative robotics for sustainable construction.

In addition to his academic and research pursuits, Maleen is passionate about the arts, with experience in theatre, filmmaking, animation, graphic design, and game development. His passion for these fields drives his advocacy for interdisciplinary knowledge creation and the integration of arts with science and technology. Maleen is also actively involved in non-profit initiatives. He founded the Digital Well-being Initiative and serves as the lead engineer for the Arka Initiative, a Sri Lankan organization dedicated to improving sexual and reproductive health. His commitment to these causes reflects his belief in using technology to effect positive social change while promoting information literacy and well-being.

At CRL, Maleen continues to explore the intersection of robotics, psychology, and art, pushing the boundaries of human-robot collaboration and advancing the field of robotics with a unique interdisciplinary perspective.

    Maleen's Projects

    Maleen Jayasuriya Maleen Jayasuriya

    RAPP Lab: A Living Laboratory Exploring Human-Robot Performance

    The Robots, Art, People and Performance Laboratory (RAPP Lab) is conceived as a living laboratory that functions as an experimental sandbox where roboticists and artists converge to explore the untapped possibilities of human-robot interaction through the lens of performance. Through structured workshops and public performances, RAPP Lab examines how robots can transition from mere technological tools to active participants in cultural expression.

    Damith Herath Damith Herath

    Development of a Self-Modulating Model for a Robotic Embodied System

    Human beings possess a unique and highly evolved capacity to dynamically regulate their level of social presence in response to environmental cues, social norms, and contextual expectations—a capability that plays a crucial role in shaping Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). Yet, its modulation remains an underexplored area in embodied robotic systems. This research advances the field by systematically redefining social presence within HRI and developing a novel framework for its dynamic modulation.