From a young age, Gian-Luca Fenocchi was immersed in the realm of technology because of his father's career as an electrical engineer. This exposure piqued his interest in engineering, often joining his father in marveling over his projects. “Growing up, I was always exposed to a lot of electronics, and I always sort of knew what he was up to," Fenocchi remembers. "While being at home, I would see some projects my dad was working on. He would show me, and it was interesting for me.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, Fenocchi pursued a degree in electrical engineering at the Imperial College London. During his four years at college, Fenocchi developed a keen interest in software and robotics. In his third year, he participated in a consultancy project with IBM, where he learned about the IBM SkillsBuild program and took courses such as Design Thinking and IBM watsonx Machine Learning Essentials. 

During this project, Fenocchi was assigned to build a robotic pet, specifically engineered to introduce artificial intelligence to the elderly population in a comfortingly familiar format—a pet dog. To help facilitate interaction between the robot and its users, Fenocchi integrated IBM watsonx Assistant into the design, allowing users to effectively communicate with it. This capability allowed seniors to inquire about various topics, play music and listen to news updates. He says exploring IBM SkillsBuild helped him innovate during this process by facilitating out-of-the-box thinking while learning to leverage data. 

After completing this project, Fenocchi found himself even more intrigued by the potential of merging robotics with AI technologies. Through daily TV news, Fenocchi saw footage of disasters and watched as first responders employed every piece of technology available to them. Fenocchi realized there was more they could do. “If we can develop a robot that helps rescue teams on the ground, we can save lives,” he thought. Motivated by this idea, he reached out to IBM and presented his proposal for a follow-up project. 

Fenocchi aimed to develop a more advanced robot, requiring a redesign from the previous pet-focused model. Recognizing that the utilization of robotics and AI in disaster recovery was expensive, he identified a significant gap in the market regarding cost-effectiveness. "Costly replacement parts substantially increased robot maintenance expenses," he says. Fenocchi then proposed a more budget-friendly, disaster-response specialized robot to make it accessible to more people.

This project required Fenocchi and his colleagues to tackle multiple aspects, from hardware design to software development. The robot has 3D-printed components enabling on-site production for quick repairs and replacements. Challenges included material selection, modularity for easy part swaps and developing algorithms for independent locomotion. Fenocchi also integrated multiple sensors into the compact, weather-resistant structure to ensure autonomous navigation. 

Fenocchi's experience with the pet robot and REX was invaluable in launching his career—he is now a professional software engineer in robotics. "In my current role, I see even more untapped potential in combining robotics and AI. This intersection could revolutionize disaster response by enabling smarter, faster, and more efficient solutions in critical situations."

Fenocchi and his colleagues presented REX at the IBM TechXchange Conference last October in Las Vegas, along with students from other educational institutions that partnered with IBM. 

Reflecting on the skills that helped him the most while developing these projects, he says, “Programming and system integration skills have been highly transferable and valuable in my work, but learning to plan projects, set clear deadlines and work towards milestones has been just as important.” For students who might be interested in working with AI and robotics, he advises: “Having some foundational knowledge in areas like design or programming can be helpful, but it’s not essential. Many skills can be developed along the way through accessible resources like IBM SkillsBuild, which supports learning at any stage.”  

Fenocchi’s journey demonstrates that nurturing curiosity from a young age and providing access to learning opportunities can empower the next generation of innovators. With AI and learning resources increasingly accessible, the possibilities for young minds to develop impactful solutions that help people are greater than ever.