Celebrating ground-breaking innovations

The IET Excellence and Innovation Awards celebrate ground-breaking innovations and best practices in engineering and technology.

One of the 2023 winners was IET Student Member Daniel Mitchell, who won the Rising Star of the Year Award. This recognised the significant positive impact he has already made already in his engineering career, by fostering collaboration and breaking down barriers between students and researchers, enabling them to work together in teams to solve real-world challenges.

With the 2024 awards now open for entries, we caught up with Daniel, to find out about his engineering journey so far. Daniel is currently a PhD student at the University of Glasgow, in the Autonomous Systems and Connectivity Division.

What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?

When he suggested I would be well suited for a PhD, I did not at first understand what the benefits were to continue studying, I didn’t even realise that this could be an option for me either.

Ever since starting I have not looked back! It’s been great to learn new things and work on projects that people simply don’t get opportunities to do when going straight to industry. Embarking on a PhD journey, I am the captain of my ship and the master of my own destiny. It is a journey where I embrace grand challenges, chart pathways to solutions, and take full ownership of my ideas from inception through implementation. Witnessing the project's growth first-hand adds to the fulfilment of this voyage. I’ve learned crucial personal attributes where I need to be responsible for every aspect.

Can you describe your career in engineering so far?

I have been able to keep what inspired me very close in my career in engineering so far. Most of my career has included the utilisation of robotics and non-destructive sensors for the inspection of offshore renewables or inspection of nuclear facilities.

I was able to identify two gaps which exist in industry where the impact from my research can have a huge impact on how both climate change targets can be met and how we can reduce the costs of energy bills for people globally. The deployment of robotics in these industries also leads to improved safety (as these are harsh environments due to weather or radiation) and improves the inspection of the assets via new types of sensors.

In terms of robotics, I have been able to get my hands on several types of robots which is where the creation of the SMuRFs occurred. And I know what you are thinking. The blue cartoon characters can’t relate to robotics… well I have reinvented that acronym to include the Symbiotic Multi-Robot Fleets – SmuRFs. This is when a wide range of robots can operate together to overcome challenges in autonomous inspection missions. All types of robots face challenges, legged, wheeled or aerial. But clever deployment of these robots means that they can help each other to overcome these challenges in a similar way to how humans can ask for help or a different perspective to situations.

I have had several opportunities to present my research including to the British Navy at Faslane Navy Base, abroad at conferences such as Switzerland, Berlin, London etc and to industry collaborators such as EDF Renewables, Chevron, and Siemens Gamesa.

What has been your biggest success in your career?

My largest success in my career includes winning the IET Rising Star of the Year award. Achieving this recognition has validated the importance of the research which I am involved in the field, in addition to pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

The award not only acknowledges my individual efforts but also highlights the collaborative spirit and support of my mentors, colleagues, and the organisations I represent. Moreover, it serves as a source of inspiration for aspiring professionals in my field, demonstrating that with perseverance and passion, anything is achievable.

Winning this award has not only bolstered my confidence but has also opened up new doors of opportunities, allowing me to make an even greater impact in my industry and beyond. This has led to more options to consider as I conclude my PhD.

What has been your biggest challenge in your career?

My greatest challenge has always been ensuring that research is presented in a way that can be understood by everyone. It’s vital when communicating research that everyone understands the key challenges and opportunities, what it is you did exactly, and future applications with respect to who you are presenting to. This can often mean asking questions to figure out challenges and opportunities to create new pathways for research to have a direct impact in the future. 

Are there any exciting projects you are currently working on?

Recently I gained a Visiting Student Researcher position at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) where I worked within the Autonomous Robots and Control Lab under the supervision of Prof. Soon-Jo Chung. I collaborated with Miss Yujin An and we identified a challenge where a Brain Computer Interface (BCI) offers promising avenues to revolutionise assistive technologies such as wheelchairs for quadriplegics or within prosthetics to improve quality of life.

We are developing a BCI which utilises motor imagery for the teleoperation of a quadruped robot. The state of the art currently relies on a user gazing at a screen to stimulate the brain which can be uncomfortable due to eye strain over large periods. Motor imagery for a mobile robot also presents several challenges due to a constantly changing background from the point of view camera which can distract the user, not to mention real-world issues such as lag in the camera when teleoperating the robot via ‘brain power’. 

We have been utilising a BCI with motor imagery, where the human thinks about movements for the teleoperation of a quadruped robot. It’s like working on something that would be certified in Tony Stark’s lab from the Avengers, and such a great feeling when controlling the robot with my mind when simply thinking about moving my arm to control the robot in real-time. In my childhood, I never thought I would ever be saying that I would literally be controlling a robot via thoughts… definitely a win for ‘brain power’!

Do you have any advice for those looking for their first role in engineering and technology?

My advice would include ‘consider all the options and ask questions’. For me, I had never thought I would be someone who could complete a PhD, never mind work in robotics. Once I realised this was a potential avenue, I sought the advice of mentors and reached out to other engineers for advice via LinkedIn.

At the time I hadn’t particularly built up a network on LinkedIn, but it was substantial enough via an internship and postdoc colleagues who I knew during my undergraduate to ask questions. My thinking was that there is someone out there who has probably had to make a similar decision in their life just a couple of years before you, so learning from other experiences was essential in making my decision.

My second piece of advice would be never underestimating the potential from creating your own portfolio. In terms of programming this could include creating a small project using python or C++ on free software such as Visual Studio code or Jupyter notebook. There are lots of YouTube tutorials available to help you learn and showcase your interest. In addition, for robotics there being lots of free simulation tools available for a range of robots to get you started. This can be valuable in applying for roles to demonstrate that you have an interest.

How has your IET Membership helped you in your career so far?

I keep up to date with the state of the art via the E+T magazine. I have also been able to attend the IET Scotland events which enable me to network with a diverse group of engineers where I can find out more about key challenges that industry needs to address etc. Finally, advantages when publishing within IET Journals where most recently I published within IET Cyber-Systems and Robotics. (IET members receive a discount on Journal Article Publication Charges.)

Do you participate in any other career-related activities, such as mentoring or volunteering?

Frequently I have mentored MEng and MSc projects alongside my supervisor Prof. David Flynn, as can be viewed here for robotics and sensing techniques.

I also ensure that my robotics work is shared to inspire future engineers on tiktok. The aim is to debunk common misconceptions about robots. I showcase all things robotics from the great videos to the robot fails. The page has gained over 60,000 + views in 2 years.

What does the future look like and what are your goals?

My near-term future includes the successful defence of my viva to conclude my PhD - accepted with minor edits. I am deeply passionate about entrepreneurship, particularly in the realm of robotics and artificial intelligence, where I see Scotland poised for significant advancement. Over the next decade, I aspire to establish myself as the founder of a pioneering robotics startup company.

However, I recognise that achieving this goal requires continuous learning and growth. Therefore, I am eager to pursue further studies at Caltech, whether through a postdoctoral position or fellowship, to gain invaluable insights and expertise.

And whilst doing it, I seek to inspire future generations in engineering and robotics by sharing my research via different platforms (TikTok @Robot_Myths or the Smart Systems group University of Glasgow YouTube).