Natasha Sihota

Papers

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About

Dr. Natasha Sihota is pioneering the intersection of robotics and environmental science, with a primary focus on autonomous soil characterization and remediation. Her research develops robotic systems that can independently navigate, sample, and analyze contaminated sites, dramatically reducing the need for costly and hazardous manual fieldwork. A key contribution is her work on integrating portable X-ray fluorescence technology into ground-based robots, enabling real-time, in-situ detection of soil contaminants like chloride from oil and gas waste. This approach promises faster, cheaper, and more accurate site assessments. Her 2024 paper on autonomous soil sampling has already garnered 10 citations, signaling strong interest in this emerging field. Dr. Sihota also advances the algorithmic foundations of environmental robotics, applying the Boustrophedon Decomposition Algorithm to ensure efficient, obstacle-aware sampling coverage. By automating the critical step of site characterization, her work is directly improving the quality and quantity of data available for remediation decisions, making her a leading voice in the future of environmental monitoring and clean-up.