Lasitha Piyathilaka
University of Technology Sydney, Central Queensland University, University of Moratuwa
Papers
19
Total Citations
390
H-Index
8
About
Lasitha Piyathilaka is a versatile robotics and computer vision researcher whose work spans human-robot interaction, autonomous systems, and infrastructure inspection robotics. His early career focused on enabling robots to understand human behavior, producing influential work on activity recognition using 3D skeleton features and Hidden Markov Models, which has garnered over 140 citations and remains a foundational reference in domestic robotics research. He also contributed novel approaches to environmental mapping through affordance-based human context modeling, further advancing intelligent human-robot collaboration. A significant thread of Piyathilaka's research addresses critical infrastructure challenges, particularly the inspection and maintenance of underground water pipelines. His work integrating stereo vision with laser profiling for defect mapping (77 citations) and developing ultrasonic in-pipe robots for non-destructive evaluation of pipe linings demonstrates both technical depth and real-world impact. More recently, he has expanded into wearable robotics, contributing a comprehensive review of EMG signal processing for exoskeleton development, and has explored robotic environmental monitoring systems. His earlier investigations into visual odometry and agricultural field robotics reflect a consistently applied approach to autonomous navigation. Across more than a decade of research, Piyathilaka has established himself as a multidisciplinary contributor bridging intelligent robotics, sensing technologies, and practical engineering solutions.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
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- 3Human Activity Recognition for Domestic Robots65 citations · 2014
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- 7Using UHF-RFID Signals for Robot Localization Inside Pipelines11 citations · 2021
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- 9Review on Robotic Systems for Environmental Monitoring6 citations · 2024
- 10