Robotics and Motion Control

Machine assistance to improve our quality of life

Vision-guided robotics, autonomous robots, artificial muscles, creative movements—machine-guided solutions and robotic assistance can help us communicate better, tackle labor-intensive and dangerous tasks, conduct surgery and visit harsh environments. 

Whether we’re looking to access a sewer pipe, disarm a bomb or even assist in the caring of our aging population, robots can drastically improve our quality of life. Motion-control innovations like harmonic dampening on buildings to reduce the impact of earthquakes and power electronics to control the loading conditions on wind turbines keep us safer and our infrastructure stronger. From vibration analysis to friction-and-wear optimization to robotic assistance, we’re pushing forward the capabilities of machines to better serve our society. 

Centers and institutes that conduct research in Robotics and Motion Control

Integrated Robotics Institute

Using a cross-discipline approach to bring creativity, knowledge and expertise to the creation of robotic systems, with a specific focus on exploration, intelligence, movement, manufacturing and health care

 

Faculty who conduct research in Robotics and Motion Control

Alexis E. Block

Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering

M. Cenk Cavusoglu

Professor, Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering
Director, Medical Robotics and Computer Integrated Surgery Laboratory
Develops next-generation medical robotic systems for surgery and image-guided interventions

Zonghe Chua

Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering
I develop intelligent telerobotic systems that sense and reason about their operator to deliver smart multisensory feedback that enhances the human-robot system performance.

Kathryn Daltorio

Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Co-Director, Biologically-Inspired Robotics Lab
Develops robots that can traverse and operate in new environments, inspired by biological models of smart physical systems

Biologically-Inspired Robotic Lab

Robert Gao

Department Chair, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Develops multi-physics sensing and stochastic modeling methods for improving observability in dynamical systems

Mario Garcia-Sanz

Professor, Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering
Bridges the gap between advanced control theory and energy, industrial and space applications

Greg Lee

Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering
Develops robotic systems

Michael Lewicki

Professor, Computer and Data Sciences Department
Develops theoretical models of computation and representation in sensory coding and perception

Wei Lin

Professor, Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering
Researches nonlinear control, time-delay systems, adaptive control, stochastic stability/control with applications to renewable energy, power systems and smart grid.

Wyatt Newman

Professor Emeritus, Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering
Designs intelligent robots, machines and software for diverse applications

Roger Quinn

Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Director, Biologically Inspired Robotics
Develops neural and mechanical models of animals and uses data to design and control robots and exoskeletons

Biologically-Inspired Robotic Lab

Brian Taylor

Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Uses engineering approaches to understand biological sensation and navigation, and leverages biological understanding to develop novel engineered autonomous systems.