PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

James Trevelyan

Also known as James P. Trevelyan

James Trevelyan is an engineer and robotics researcher whose sheep-shearing robots used machine vision to model sheep and guide the cutter. At UWA, he led a team that created a web-connected telerobot in 1993 and received the Engelberger Science and Technology Award in 1993. He researched landmine clearance from 1996 to 2002 and engineering practice from 2002 onward; his 2014 book The Making of an Expert Engineer drew on that work. He retired from academia in 2016, became an entrepreneur at Close Comfort, and invented Coolzy, an energy-efficient portable air conditioner. In August 2026, he published an introduction to generative AI for engineers; as of October 2026, he is an emeritus professor at UWA and CEO of Close Comfort.

Now at
University of Western Australia and Close Comfort
Born
1948
Badges

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

  1. 1976–1989

    Sheep-shearing robots

    An engineer and robotics researcher, he leads the team developing sheep-shearing robots from 1976 to 1989. Its machine-vision system generates a geometric model of the sheep’s surface, determines arm trajectories, and feeds information to the cutter motion-control system.

  2. 1993

    Australia’s telerobot on the web

    In 1993, he leads a UWA team that creates “Australia’s Telerobot on the Web,” one of the earliest demonstrations of the Internet of Things.

  3. 1993

    Engelberger Science and Technology Award

    He receives the Engelberger Science and Technology Award in Tokyo in 1993 for his work in robotics.

  4. 1996–2002

    Landmine clearance research

    From 1996 to 2002, he researches landmine-clearance methods; his website serves as an international reference on landmines.

  5. 2002–2014

    The Making of an Expert Engineer

    From 2002 onward, he studies engineering practice to understand how engineers work. In 2014, he publishes The Making of an Expert Engineer, drawing on more than a decade of research by him and his students into engineers at work.

  6. 2016–2018

    Coolzy and the professions award

    After retiring from academia in 2016, he directs Close Comfort and invents Coolzy, an energy-efficient portable air conditioner. In 2018, he wins the professions category at the Western Australian of the Year Awards.

  7. August 2026

    AI, Creativity and Limitations

    In August 2026, he publishes AI, Creativity and Limitations, an introduction to contemporary AI for mid-career engineers. It explains how large language models and generative AI work for text and images, and describes their limitations.

  8. As of October 2026

    Emeritus Professor and CEO

    As of October 2026, he is an Emeritus Professor and Senior Honorary Research Fellow in UWA’s School of Engineering and CEO and founder of Close Comfort. His current projects cover engineering practice and education, energy-efficient cooling, and drinking-water supplies in developing countries. He gives occasional lectures on request and mentors young engineers.

Career

  1. Since 2016Close ComfortDirector, Founder
  2. NowUniversity of Western AustraliaProfessor

From the biography.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Western Australia. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  2. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes University of Western Australia. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  3. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of Western Australia. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  4. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI each year from 1955 to 2025, tracing the shift from university labs to companies.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of James Trevelyan yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. How necessity inspires invention in the mind of engineer James Trevelyan research-repository.uwa.edu.au. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. Professor James Trevelyan recognised at Western Australian of the Year awards news.uwa.edu.au. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. About JAMES TREVELYAN – THE MAKING OF AN EXPERT ENGINEER jamesptrevelyan.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. James Trevelyan - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository research-repository.uwa.edu.au. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. Book launched: The Making of an Expert Engineer - Winthrop Professor James Trevelyan news.uwa.edu.au. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. AI, Creativity and Limitations jamesptrevelyan.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. Early Career CPD: Generating greater value from your engineering work portal.engineersaustralia.org.au. Checked 20 October 2026.