Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

Ju Sun poses in Keller Hall
Members of the Robotics: Perception and Manipulation (RPM) Lab pose with the yellow Spot Robot.
 Dongyeop Kang headshot
Underwater robot explores the pool at the University of Minnesota
Catherine Zhao poses in Keller Hall
Yasamin Jafarian, Computer Science Ph.D. student
Smart Hugs demonstration
Screenshots of snow monkeys at the zoo
Cowbot (an autonomous mower) in the field

Robotics revolves around the building of intelligent physical machines. Artificial intelligence (AI) implies the use of a computer to model and/or replicate intelligent behavior. Research in AI focuses on the development and analysis of algorithms that learn and/or perform intelligent behavior with minimal human intervention. AI techniques have been and continue to be applied to a broad range of problems that arise in robotics, agriculture, medical diagnosis, gaming, mathematics, and logistics. 

Work in this division draws from and contributes to multiple domains:

  • Artificial Intelligence studies algorithms and systems in areas such as machine learning, logic, planning, neural networks, inference engines, evolutionary computation, and cognition; 
  • Robotics designs and creates robotic systems including mobile robots, manipulators, underwater systems, and aerial platforms along with the algorithms that empower them; 
  • Computer Vision develops algorithms and systems to derive meaningful information from videos, images, and other visual inputs; 
  • Human-Robot Interaction investigates and creates new techniques for effective interaction of humans with robots;
  • Natural Language Processing studies ways to build systems that process text or voice data; and 
  • Applications use robotics and artificial intelligence to impact domains such as medicine, agriculture, manufacturing, education, logistics, biology, etc. 

Core Faculty

Karthik Desingh
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
141 Shepherd Labs
Maria Gini
Professor, CSE Distinguished Professor, Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
245 Shepherd Labs
Volkan Isler
Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
4-213 Kenneth H. Keller Hall
Dongyeop Kang headshot
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
259 Shepherd Labs
Nikolaos Papanikolopoulos headshot
Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Professor, Distinguished McKnight University Professor, Director of Graduate Studies for Robotics, Minnesota Robotics Institute Director, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
5-201 Kenneth H. Keller Hall
Hyun Soo Park headshot
Associate Professor, McKnight Presidential Fellow, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
261 Shepherd Labs
Junaed Sattar
Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
251 Shepherd Labs
Paul Schrater headshot
Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
N218 Elliott Hall
Ju Sun
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
6-213 Kenneth H. Keller Hall
Catherine
Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
6-189 Kenneth H. Keller Hall

Affiliated Faculty

Boley Dan
Professor, Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Director of Graduate Studies for Data Science, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
6-209 Kenneth H. Keller Hall
Victoria Interrante headshot
Professor, Director of Graduate Studies for Cognitive Science, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
6-185 Kenneth H. Keller Hall
Vipin Kumar headshot
Regents Professor, William Norris Land Grant Chair in Large-Scale Computing, Data Science Initiative Director, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
5-225C Kenneth H. Keller Hall
Evan Suma Rosenberg headshot
Assistant Professor
6-201 Kenneth H. Keller Hall