Rohit Tantiya

Mechatronics Engineer · a.k.a. RolandThsive · Roro

"Aut inveniam viam aut faciam" - Hannibal

I design robots and machines, print them, bolt them together, and write about them here.

Who?

I have always wanted to build humanoids. I started programming in Java and Python in 2012, and since 2016 I have been doing mechatronics, rigorously.

I am a mechatronics engineer: the true intersection of robotics, mechanics and electronics, and always hands-on. I design the parts, the circuit boards and the firmware, then build, test and rebuild until it works.

My work has taken me through France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and India. Most of it has been humanoid hands: a transhuman palm at Anglo Scientific, a bionic arm for my Master's research at Auckland University of Technology, and a functional steel replica of a real hand at Hercules Robots. Along the way I was mentored by Henry Hyde-Thomson and Dr. Jack Li.

This blog is my portfolio: every build is documented here with interactive 3D models, so you can take the machines apart yourself.

The Journey

Now
Open source industrial robotic joints
Hoho · RO’H’BOTS
I have dedicated my time to making open source, high quality industrial robotic joints: designs, files and build notes that anyone can take apart, build and improve.
2024–26
Hercules Robots · (Lead) Mechatronics and Design Engineer
Auckland, New Zealand and Hereford, U.K.
A functional steel replica of a real human hand, keeping its weight, load and speed. As an early startup, I developed the entire technology stack except the high-level control software: CAD, prototyping on 3D printers, laser cutters and lathes, PCB design and firmware.
2024–25
Auckland University of Technology · Master of Engineering
Auckland, New Zealand · full-time researcher in mechatronics
A bionic arm built with Hercules Robots and Anglo Scientific: The ARM (Auckland Version). Also generalized bin picking with KUKA and ABB arms, sorting water bottles into colour-designated spaces.
2023–24
ipSum Tek · Robotics Engineer Intern
Avignon and Sorgues, France
A humanoid robot torso for the hospitality industry, with eye-to-hand coordination in ROS 1 and 2, simulated in MoveIt, and trajectory generation for the arm and hand.
2022–23
Anglo Scientific · Mechatronics Engineer
Lyon, France and Hereford, U.K.
A transhuman palm for future humanoid robots: CAD in Creo, FreeCAD and Fusion 360, and electronic circuits in Fusion 360 and KiCAD, prototyped on 3D printers, laser cutters and lathes.
2022
Anglo Scientific · Mechatronics Engineer Intern
The Royal Institution, London, U.K.
THE ARTIST: a robotic system for the Face-o-mat paintings by Tobias Gutmann, from CAD to a delivered system, plus a prototyping lab for the team. See the pen grabbing system, the carousel and the linear guidance system.
2019–23
ECAM LaSalle · Combined Bachelor's and Master's
Lyon, France · mechanical design and robotics
The PERSEUS project with CNES, the French space agency: the descent control system, on-board electronics and nose cone of the CERES rocket. And in 2021, my first robot arm, The First RoAr.
2016
Mechatronics, seriously
The start of rigorous mechatronics, with one goal from day one: humanoids.
2012
First lines of code
Started learning Java and Python.
2000
Born
14th August.

What I Work With

RoboticsROS 1 and 2, MoveIt, eye-to-hand coordination, real-time trajectory generation. Arms from KUKA, ABB, Fanuc and Realman, and humanoid hands.

MechanicalCAD in Creo, Onshape, Fusion 360, Blender and FreeCAD. Prototyping on 3D printers, laser cutters, lathes and CNC, always designed with manufacturing in mind.

ElectronicsPCB design in KiCAD, Fusion 360 and Eagle, from schematic to assembled and tested boards. STM32 and Espressif chips.