Jose Jaime
Robotics Engineer & Researcher
Bridging the gap between theory and application in assistive robotics. Focused on developing intelligent, robust systems that enhance human capability and independence.
About Me
I am a Master's student at the University of Washington's Personal Robotics Lab, advised by Prof. Siddhartha Srinivasa. My work is driven by a passion for creating robotic systems that can safely and effectively operate in human environments to provide meaningful assistance.
With a background in software engineering at Google and in the medical device startup space (Sound Life Sciences), I bring a strong foundation in robust software development, data analysis, and regulatory processes to my robotics research. My current focus is on solving the complex manipulation challenges in assistive feeding through my work on the Articutool project.
Research & Projects
Articutool: A Decoupled, Untethered Wrist for Assistive Feeding
The Articutool is a 2-DOF actuated wrist designed to solve a critical limitation in assistive feeding: the inability to handle liquids and granular foods. By integrating onboard computation (RPi5), sensing (IMU, F/T), and power, it operates as an untethered, intelligent module. Its primary contribution is a decoupled control architecture where it performs high-frequency, local orientation control (e.g., leveling a spoon) while the 6-DOF Jaco arm handles gross transport, significantly reducing spillage and improving scooping success.
Predictive Safety Barriers for Human-Robot Collaboration
Developed and evaluated optimization-based controllers using Control Barrier Functions (CBFs) to ensure provable safety for whole-body robot motion around humans. This work involved implementing and benchmarking both reactive and predictive (constant-velocity model) CBF-Quadratic Programs (CBF-QPs) in a MuJoCo simulation environment, and establishing a framework for comparative analysis across key HRI metrics like safety, task efficiency, and motion smoothness.
Industry Experience
Software Engineer, Google
June 2022 - July 2023
Architected a robust data collection framework for health algorithm verification and validation. Conducted in-depth data analysis to validate sensor fusion algorithms and de-risk real-world failure conditions, ensuring compliance with strict data security protocols.
Software Engineer, Sound Life Sciences
October 2020 - June 2022
Developed a novel Android application employing sonar for non-contact, real-time breathing monitoring. This work was a key component of a medical device that successfully achieved FDA 510(k) clearance, requiring rigorous design of test suites for verification and validation.
Technical Skills
Languages
- Python
- C++
- C
- Bash
Robotics
- ROS 2 (Humble)
- MoveIt2
- Behavior Trees (py_trees)
- Pinocchio
- ros2_control
- Gazebo & MuJoCo
Hardware
- Raspberry Pi 5
- IMUs & F/T Sensors
- Dynamixel Motors
- PCB Design
- Sensor Integration
Tools & Platforms
- Linux (Ubuntu)
- Git & GitHub
- Docker
- CMake
- GDB
Publications
J. Jaime, S. S. Srinivasa. "Articutool: A Decoupled, Untethered Actuated Wrist for Enhanced Assistive Feeding of Challenging Foods." \textit{In Preparation for IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Systems (IROS)}, 2026.