Looking to the future with Ruodan

Academic and researcher, Ruodan Lu, gives us her take on making the transition towards becoming an AI entrepreneur…

The journey so far…

I have more than 15 years’ experience of multicultural studying, working, and teaching in the field of construction.

I received a Diplôme d’Ingénieur in France and a PhD degree from the University of Cambridge, where I completed my thesis on digital twin.

During my time at Cambridge, I built the world’s largest bridge point cloud repository of its kind – which continues to expand. My innovative twinning software solution has been awarded many prestigious international prizes, including from EPSRC, IET and FIATECH.


Award-winning research…

I have accumulated substantial research experience. My current focus is on three aspects of 5G technology: digital twin, laser scanning, and the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT). These aspects sit at the heart of shaping the future built environment. Through my research, I aim to enable and automate data gathering and data processing systems to form a cloud-based digital twin, which allows stakeholders to gain up-to-date insights for decision-making.

I am also the lead researcher of the LORIS project which is committed to unlocking scan-to-twin potential and actively contributing towards achieving an inclusive digital ecosystem for the post-Covid world. In addition, I am the lead researcher of JADE, an AI-enabled low-cost digital stethoscope, designed for Covid and post-Covid healthcare systems.


Looking to the future…

I am in the process of launching a start-up – with my knowledge of AI technology along with the pain points within the industry and my keen business acumen, I am well placed to develop the potential for technology with real-world applications and drive the technology transfer process.

I truly believe that AI holds tremendous promise for humanity, equality and diversity. My start-up aims to bring AI down to the earth, apply it to real life in order to solve everyday problems through tailored Capstone Projects that cover three themes: health, the environment, and education.

For more information on Ruodan’s work, contact: rl508@cam.ac.uk.