UMBC student Kavita Krishnaswamy, a Ph.D. candidate in computer science and electrical engineering, was interviewed by CNN about how she has used a Beam telepresence robot to visit museums, attend computing conferences, and defend her Ph.D. proposal. Telepresence robots consist of a screen on motorized wheels that allows users to visit places and interact with people remotely.
Krishnaswamy is also an undergraduate alumna of UMBC (’07, computer science and mathematics). Her Ph.D. proposal focuses on using robotics to increase autonomy for people with severe disabilities and draws on her personal experiences with limited mobility.