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Daniel Zhou Hao

Dr. Hao is a lecturer (assistant professor) in AI and Robotics at CMS. He is the founder of the Dynamics and Neural Intelligence (DANi) Lab and the Team Lead of the DriverLeics research-inspired education group in AI-powered robotics and autonomous systems.

Dr. Hao is the Leicester's PI in the UK Space Agency (UKSA) funded PLATOR project. He is also the Robotics Lead for the ESA/NASA Mars Sample Return DWI Project (ESA Prog. ref: E/019A-02R - MSR SRP E3P2), affiliated with Space Park Leicester. Dr. Hao is the Co-I of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Digital Transformation of Metals Industry (2024), working with School of Engineering.

Dr. Hao's expertise encompasses Spacecraft AOCS/GNC, Robotics, and AI. His current research interests include autonomous GNC supporting in-orbit servicing and manufacturing, Large language and vision models driven robotics, Reinforcement Learning for Legged Space Robots, AI-driven Robotic Manipulation, and AI for Space Sciences.

Before joining Leicester, Dr. Hao worked at the Centre for Vision, Speech, and Signal Processing (CVSSP)- funded by the University of Surrey, and at the Surrey Space Centre- funded by EPSRC. He was awarded a PhD in Aerospace Engineering, specialising in Very Low Earth Orbits Thermospherical Spacecraft Attitude Control, from the University of Manchester in 2018. Additionally, he holds double-MSc in both Space Sciences and Astronautical Engineering.

Dr. Hao is passionate about discussing science to inspire the general public and younger generations to be fascinated by AI and Space. He has lead teams to participate in various outreach events, including the BrightSparks STEM Fair 2023, Cheltenham Science Festival 2019, and BlueDot Science Festival 2016

AI could be the breakthrough that allows humanoid robots to jump from science fiction to reality

Aug 12, 2024 09:18 am UTC| Technology

Humanoid robots have long been a staple of science fiction, but there is now real progress being made. A range of new models made by or backed by the likes of Boston Dynamics, Tesla and OpenAI are able to walk and move...

Economy

IMF Maintains 2027 Global Growth Forecast at 3.4% Amid Rising Risks

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) maintained its 2027 global economic growth forecast at 3.4%, warning that escalating Middle East tensions, rising government debt and persistent inflation could threaten the global...

Philippines Current Account Deficit Seen at $19.1 Billion in 2026

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects the Philippines current account deficit to reach $19.1 billion in 2026, equivalent to 3.8% of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP), according to projections announced by...

RBA Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has indicated that further interest rate hikes remain possible as policymakers confront persistent inflation pressures and rising global costs, according to minutes from its September...

Gold Prices Rebound as Dollar Weakens Ahead of US Inflation Data

Gold prices rose on Tuesday as a softer U.S. dollar supported precious metals, although escalating Middle East tensions and expectations of further Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes continued to limit gains. Spot gold...

Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Nears 18-Month High Ahead of US CPI

Asian currencies traded in narrow ranges on Tuesday as investors remained cautious ahead of crucial U.S. inflation data, while the U.S. dollar stayed near an 18-month high amid geopolitical tensions and sustained demand...

Politics

US Condemns China Sanctions on Taiwan Allies Belize and Paraguay

The Trump administration has criticized China for imposing sanctions on government ministers from Belize and Paraguay over their diplomatic relations with Taiwan, accusing Beijing of using coercion to undermine the...

Kim Jong Un Showcases ICBM Ahead of Possible Trump Meeting

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a newly opened military museum showcasing advanced weapons, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of striking the United States, according to state media...

Trump Denies Russia and China Are Helping Iran in U.S. Conflict

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday evening that he does not believe Russia or China is providing significant assistance to Iran in its ongoing conflict with the United States, despite reports suggesting both countries...

Most Americans Oppose Election Betting on Prediction Markets, Poll Finds

A majority of Americans oppose betting on US elections, military operations and government decisions through prediction markets, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, highlighting public concerns as regulators consider new...

Elon Musk Donates $366 Million to 2026 US Midterms

Elon Musk has poured approximately $366 million into the 2026 US midterm elections, making the Tesla and SpaceX CEO potentially the largest individual political donor of the election cycle as Republicans fight to retain...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Nvidia’s China AI Chip Market Share Falls to 34% as Huawei Gains Ground

Nvidias share of Chinas artificial intelligence chip market declined sharply during the first half of 2026 as U.S. export restrictions and growing competition from domestic semiconductor manufacturers reshaped the...

Samsung, SK Hynix Shares Plunge as China Chip Competition Grows

Shares of South Korean semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix plunged on Tuesday, extending a steep selloff as investors weighed rising competition from Chinese memory chipmakers and growing uncertainty...

Moonshot AI Executives Seek Settlement Ahead of Hong Kong IPO

Senior executives at Chinese artificial intelligence startup Moonshot AI are reportedly negotiating a settlement in a shareholder dispute ahead of the companys planned Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO). According to...

Meta Launches Muse Wonder AI Models, Shares Rise 3.7%

Meta Platforms has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence models, Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full, marking a major step in the companys efforts to compete with leading AI developers. The announcement on Monday...

Epic Games Delays Disney Shooter, Shifts to AI-First Development

Epic Games has reportedly postponed the launch of its upcoming Disney multiplayer shooter as the Fortnite developer adopts an artificial intelligence-driven approach to game production, according to Bloomberg. The highly...