Hello, my name is Nataliya Strokina. I am a staff scientist at Tampere University, unit of Computing Sciences. I received my doctoral degree from Lappeenranta University of Technology in Intelligent Computing. Currently, I act as a coordinator of the Imaging Profiling area (Imaging Platform). The goal of the Imaging Platform is to offer advanced imaging as a service across different disciplines and industries, and effectively engage all individuals and units that make use of imaging and thus supercharge image-based scientific investigation in TAU.
I devote my own research to robot perception and learning. In my previous Academy of Finland postdoc project, I was focusing on the learning-based methods for real-word robotic applications. We developed architectures that taking as an input rich sensory data (vision, force sensors, etc) predict what action the robot should take to complete a task. However, we discovered that learning-based solutions are still highly affected by the changing conditions of real-world environments which makes them unsafe and unpredictable.
In my current work, I focus on development of perception capabilities, which would allow robots to predict future events affecting the operation and, thus, improve safety
I came to Finland for a double master’s programme in 2009. I studied for software engineering in St.Petersburg and in Finland we had to choose a major too. I remember the moment when I decided to go into AI and Machine Learning. It was when Prof. Ville Kyrki (now he is at Aalto) was introducing the major of Intelligent computing and although it was not exactly my topic, I thought – I want to do the same. I felt inspired and charmed by the opportunity to create systems that can demonstrate intelligence close to humans. I was imagining that this will allow us to understand human intelligence better and to develop systems that would become truly helpful for us. It also felt at the same time as art.
Even now when I see a robot move for the first time running our codes, it feels like a little miracle
I am happy to be a part of an inclusive society overriding differences of race, gender, generation, and geography. Each of us possesses unique qualities and talents and should be encouraged to express them. The rapidly growing and developing field of AI is the perfect area for it. By promoting inclusiveness, we enrich our society and our lives for the benefit of all.
The mini-series of interviews is co-organized by Ritva Savonsaari, AI Hub Tampere and Bruna de Castro e Silva, Doctoral Researcher, Tampere University and Responsible AI Lead at WAI Finland.
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/women-in-ai-finland/
