Building: Academic Building (A2)
Room number: 141
Department of Material and Mechanical Technology
Faculty of Technology
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Mahenwatte, Pitipana North
Homagama 10200
Sri Lanka

Email: ashanweeraratne@sjp.ac.lk

Ashan Weeraratne, a Mechanical Engineer, received his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, and is currently reading for his Masters of Science (MSc) in Applied Electronics from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Weeraratne has unique experience as a mechanical design engineer, having designed and deployed over 6 major machines across the following industries: Latex Glove Production, Electric Accessory Production and Precision Gem Cutting.  He is currently working as a Lecturer at University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Research Keywords:

EdTech, Service Robotics   

Other Activities: Maintaining YouTube channel (weash33)

Since 2023 Lecturer (Contract), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka
2021-2023 Automation Engineer, Orange Electric Factory, OREL Corporation, Sri Lanka

My research focuses on developing robotics platforms for undergraduate education. The cornerstone of my work is the integration of cheap in-house developed physical robots, low latency teleoperation and high fidelity fail-safes. The ultimate goal is to revolutionize robotics education by providing 24/7 laboratory access to students, regardless of their physical location. This vision addresses the growing need for flexible, accessible STEM education while preparing students for the increasingly remote and automated future. Through this research, I seek to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical experience in robotics education, fostering innovation and hands-on learning in the next generation of robotics technologists.

2024-2025

Serving as PI on private investor funded project entitled “6DOF  Mobile Platform Mounted Manipulator for Automatic Ghost Kitchens”, LKR 0.3M, Project Duration: 1 Year.

Weeraratne and K. Subasinghage, “Comparison of Open-Source Robotics Platforms for Undergraduate Education,” 2024 International Research Conference on Smart Computing and Systems Engineering (SCSE), Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2024, pp. 1-5, doi: 10.1109/SCSE61872.2024.10550891.
keywords: {Educational robots;Reviews;Education;Documentation;Hardware;Task analysis;Standards;open source;robotics education},