Robotics Engineering
Faculty
Michael A. Gennert, Associate Professor, Robotics Engineering Program Director; Sc.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1987; Image processing, image understanding, artificial intelligence, robotics.
Fred J. Looft, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Head, Robotics Engineering Program Associate Director; Ph.D., Michigan; Instrumentation, digital and analog systems, signal processing, biomedical engineering, microprocessor systems and architectures, space-flight systems.
Kenneth A. Stafford, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Robotics Resource Center Director, Robotics Engineering Program Associate Director; M.S., Air Force Institute of Technology; Robotics systems design.
Holly K. Ault, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Geometric modeling, mechanical design, CAD, kinematics, biomechanics, rehabilitation engineering.
Christopher A. Brown, Professor; Ph.D., University of Vermont, 1983; Surface metrology, machining, grinding, mechanics of skiing, axiomatic design.
David C. Brown, Professor; Ph.D., Ohio State; Knowledge-based design systems, artificial intelligence.
Sonia Chernova, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, 2009; Artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, robot learning, human-robot interaction, adjustable autonomy, multi-robot systems.
Michael J. Ciaraldi, Professor of Practice; M.S., Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester; Robotics education, software engineering, real-time and embedded systems.
Eben C. Cobb, Visiting Assistant Professor; Ph.D., University of Connecticut; Computer aided design and kinematics, design of high-speed precision equipment, dynamics of high-speed rotating equipment, smart structures, vibration control.
David Cyganski, Professor; Ph.D., Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Optimization and security of Internet communications, distributed and fault-tolerant computing, CORBA, machine vision, automatic target recognition.
Michael A. Demetriou, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of Southern California; Control of intelligent systems, control of fluid-structure interaction systems, fault detection and accommodation of dynamical systems, acoustic and vibration control, smart materials and structures, sensor and actuator networks in distributed processes, control of mechanical systems.
R. James Duckworth, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Nottingham University; Embedded computer system design, computer architecture, real-time systems, wireless instrumentation, rapid prototyping, logic synthesis.
Alexander E. Emanuel, Professor; D.Sc., Israel Institute of Technology; Power quality, power electronics, electromagnetic design, high-voltage technology.
Gregory Fischer, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University; Medical robotics, computer assisted surgery, robot control, automation, sensors and actuators.
Mustapha S. Fofana, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada; Delay dynamical systems, nonlinear machine-tool chatter, stochastic nonlinear dynamics, reliability dynamics and control of medical ambulance, design and manufacturing of combat feeding systems, CNC machining dynamics and control, sustainable lean manufacturing systems.
Cosme Furlong, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Worcester Polytechnic Institute; MEMS and MOEMS, nanotechnology, mechatronics, laser applications, holography, computer modeling of dynamic systems.
Allen H. Hoffman, Professor; Ph.D., University of Colorado; Biomechanics, biomaterials, biomedical engineering, rehabilitation engineering, biofluids, continuum mechanics.
Ximing Huang, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Virginia Tech; Reconfigurable computing, VLSI integrated circuits, networked embedded systems.
Robert W. Lindeman, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., George Washington; Human-computer interaction, haptics, virtual environments.
William R. Michalson, Professor; Ph.D., Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Satellite navigation, real-time embedded computer systems, digital music and audio signal processing, simulation and system modeling.
Stephen S. Nestinger, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., University of California/Davis, 2009; Intelligent mechatronic and embedded systems and their applications.
Robert L. Norton, Milton Prince Higgins II Professor; M.S., Tufts University; Mechanical design and analysis, dynamic signal analysis, computer- aided engineering, computer-aided design, finite element method, vibration analysis, engineering design, biomedical engineering.
Taskin Padir, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Purdue University; Modeling and control of robotic systems, kinematics and dynamics of robot manipulators, redundancy resolution and trajectory planning, automated system design, machine vision.
Gary F. Pollice, Professor of Practice; M.S., University of Massachusetts, Lowell; Software engineering, quality and testing, programming languages, collaborative development and processes.
Charles Rich, Professor; Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Artificial intelligence and its intersections with human-computer interaction, interactive media and game development, robotics, intelligent tutoring systems, knowledge-based software tools.
Yiming (Kevin) Rong, John Woodman Higgins Professor and Associate Director Manufacturing & Materials Engineering; Ph.D., University of Kentucky; Manufacturing systems and processes, heat treatment process modeling and simulation, CAD/CAM, computer-aided fixture design and verification.
C. L. Sidner, Research Professor; Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1979. Discourse processing, collaboration, human-robot interaction, intelligent user interfaces, natural language processing, artificial intelligence.
Eduardo Torres-Jaza, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007. Biomimetric framework for robotics – developing algorithms related to robots in contact with their environment, microfabrication of dense arrays of sensors (especially tactile), design of compliant actuators, and fabrication of robotic elements (such as arms and legs).
Program of Study
M.S. Program
The Robotics Engineering Program offers the M.S. degree with thesis and non-thesis (course-work only) options. The program strives to educate men and women to
- Have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, and Mechanical Engineering underlying robotic systems.
- Have an awareness of the management and systems contexts within which robotic systems are engineered.
- Develop advanced knowledge in selected areas of robotics, culminating in a capstone research or design experience.
Admission Requirements
Students will be eligible for admission to the program if they have earned an undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related field from an accredited university consistent with the WPI graduate catalog. Admission will also be open to qualified WPI students who opt for a five-year Bachelors-Masters program, with the undergraduate major in Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics Engineering or a related field. Admission decisions will be made by the Robotics Engineering Graduate Program Committee based on all of the factors presented in the application.
Degree Requirements
For the M.S.
The M.S. program in Robotics Engineering requires 36 credit hours of work. Students may select a non-thesis option, which requires a 6-credit capstone design/practicum, or a thesis option which requires a 9-credit thesis. All entering students must submit a plan of study identifying the courses to be taken and a prospective project topic before the end of the first semester in the program. The plan of study must be approved by the student’s advisor and the RBE Graduate Program Committee, and must include the following minimum requirements:
1. Robotics Core (15 credits)
- Foundations (6 credits)
RBE 500 Foundations of Robotics
ME/RBE 501 Robot Dynamics - Computer Science: 3 credit hours selected from the following courses:
CS 509 Design of Software Systems
CS 534 Artificial Intelligence
CS 546 Human-Computer Interaction - Electrical and Computer Engineering: 3 credit hours selected from the following courses:
ECE 502 Analysis of Probabilistic Signals and Systems
ECE 503 Digital Signal Processing
ECE 504 Analysis of Deterministic Systems - Mechanical Engineering: 3 credit hours selected from the following courses:
ME 523 Applied Linear Control
ME 527 Dynamics
ME 623 Applied Nonlinear Control
2. Engineering Context (6 credits)
- Management: 3 credit hours selected from the following courses:
ETR 592 New Venture Management And Entrepreneurship
MIS 576 Project Management
MKT 563 Marketing of Emerging Technologies
OBC 511 Interpersonal and Leadership Skills for Technological Managers
OIE 546 Managing Technological Innovation - Systems Engineering: 3 credit hours selected from courses prefixed by SYS at the 500 level or above.
3. Capstone / Thesis (6-9 credits)
- A 6 credit hour capstone design project/ practicum or a 9 credit hour thesis.
4. Electives (6-9 credits): Sufficient course work selected from courses at the 500 level or above with a prefix of RBE, CS, ECE, MA, ME, or SYS to total 36 credit hours. Courses at the 4000 level may also be taken as electives with the prior approval of the RBE Graduate Committee.
5. Only one of ECE 504 and ME 523 may count towards the Robotics M.S. Degree.
Thesis Option
The M.S. thesis consists of 9 credit hours of work, normally spread over at least one academic year. A thesis committee will be set up during the first semester of thesis work. This committee will be selected by the student in consultation with the major advisor and will consist of the thesis advisor, who must be a full-time WPI RBE faculty member, and two other faculty members, at least one of whom is a WPI RBE faculty member, whose expertise will aid the student’s research program. An oral presentation before the Thesis Committee and a general audience is required. In addition, all WPI thesis regulations must be followed.
Non-Thesis Options
As an alternative to a research-based thesis, students may elect a project or practicum to include a design/research component in their graduate program. For an M.S. Degree in Robotics Engineering this can be accomplished by completing a 6 credit capstone design project RBE 598 or a practicum RBE 596. The capstone design project must be approved by the Robotics Engineering Graduate Program Committee and must demonstrate significant graduate-level work involving Robotics Engineering. The capstone design project must include substantial analysis and/or design related to robotics engineering and will conclude with a substantial written report.
A practicum provides students an opportunity to put into practice the principles that have been studied in previous courses. It will generally be conducted off campus and will involve a real-world robotics-engineering situation. Overall conduct of the practicum will be supervised by a WPI RBE faculty member; an on-site liaison will direct day-to-day activity. For a student from industry, the practicum may be sponsored by his or her employer. The project must include substantial analysis and/or design related to robotics engineering and will conclude with a substantial written report.
Students completing a capstone design project or practicum must deliver a public oral presentation to a committee consisting of the supervising faculty member and two additional WPI faculty members (in the case of a practicum, the on-site liaison and one additional WPI faculty member). Successful completion of the project or practicum will be verified by this committee.
Transfer Credit
A student may petition for permission to use graduate courses taken at other accredited, degree-granting institutions to satisfy RBE graduate degree requirements. A maximum of 12 graduate credits, with a grade of B or better, may be satisfied by courses taken elsewhere and not used to satisfy degree requirements at other institutions. Petitions are subject to approval by the RBE Graduate Committee, and are then filed with the Registrar. Transfer credit will not be allowed for undergraduate-level courses taken at other institutions. In general, transfer credit will not be allowed for any WPI undergraduate courses used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements; however, note that there are exceptions in the case of students enrolled in the BS/MS program.
A student with one or more WPI master’s degrees who is seeking an RBE master’s degree from WPI may petition to apply up to 9 prior credits toward satisfying requirements for the subsequent degree. Petitions are subject to approval by the RBE Graduate Committee.
Students who take graduate courses at WPI prior to formal admission to the RBE graduate program may petition to apply up to 9 graduate credits to fulfill the RBE graduate degree requirements. Once again, petitions are subject to approval by the RBE Graduate Committee.
For the Ph.D.
The Ph.D. program in Robotics Engineering strives to educate men and women to:
- Have an advanced understanding of the Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, and Mechanical Engineering underlying robotic systems.
- Apply tools and concepts from Management and Systems Engineering to realize robotics systems and exercise professional leadership.
- Make significant research contributions in selected areas of robotics.
Admission Requirements
Students will be eligible for admission to the program if they have earned an undergraduate or graduate degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics Engineering, or a related field from an accredited university. Applicants must supply a Statement of Purpose, three Letters of Recommendation, and Graduate Record Examination scores. The GRE requirement may be waived for WPI students and alumni, or at the discretion of the Robotics Engineering Graduate Program Committee when supplied with additional supporting materials such as published papers or a record of work experience. Admission decisions will be made by the Robotics Engineering Graduate Program Committee based on all of the information presented in the application.
Degree Requirements
The Ph.D. program in Robotics Engineering requires 60 credit hours of work beyond the M.S. degree or 90 credit hours beyond the B.S degree. Coursework must include 3 credit hours of Management courses and 3 credit hours of Systems Engineering courses. This requirement may be satisfied as part of the M.S. in Robotics Engineering or other M.S. program. All entering students must submit a plan of study identifying the courses to be taken and a prospective research area before the end of the first semester in the program. The plan of study must be approved by the student’s advisor and the RBE Graduate Program Committee, and must include the following minimum requirements.
For students proceeding from Master’s to Ph.D. degree, the 60 credits should be distributed as follows:
- Coursework, including Special Topics and Independent Study (12 credits). If not already included in the M.S. degree, the credits must include:
- Management: 3 credit hours at the 500 level or above.
- Systems Engineering: 3 credit hours selected from courses prefixed by SYS at the 500 level or above. - RBE 699 Dissertation Research (30 credits).
- Other. Additional coursework, Independent Study, RBE 598 Directed Research or RBE 699 Dissertation Research (18 credits).
For students proceeding from Bachelor’s to Ph.D. degree, the 90 credits should be distributed as follows:
- RBE M.S. Degree Requirements (36 credits).
- Coursework, including Special Topics and Independent Study (12 credits).
- RBE 699 Dissertation Research (30 credits).
- Other. Additional coursework, Independent Study, RBE 598 Directed Research or RBE 699 Dissertation Research (12 credits).
Professional Development Requirement
A doctoral candidate must demonstrate professional development by participating in an activity requiring responsibility and leadership. Sample activities include: corporate internship, visiting position at an external research laboratory, coadvising a WPI Junior or Senior project (IQP or MQP). The activity must be pre- and post-approved by the Graduate Committee.
Summary of Credit Requirements
| Enter with M.S. | Enter with B.S. | |
|---|---|---|
| M.S. Degree Requirements | – | 36 |
| Coursework | 12 | 12 |
| Additional Courses/Research | 18 | 12 |
| Dissertation | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 60 | 90 |
Diagnostic Examination
Doctoral students must complete the Diagnostic Examination requirement by the end of their second year of Ph.D. study. The Diagnostic Examination, which evaluates each student’s level of academic preparation and identifies any shortcomings in the student’s background, consists of two parts: a Written Examination and Directed Research.
Written Examination
The Written Examination part of the Diagnostic Examination consists of the following elements:
- A basic skills examination which covers
- Engineering mathematics, and
- Principles of Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering at the advanced undergraduate level. - Advanced skills examinations in two areas selected from Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Systems Engineering at the graduate level.
All students must take the basic skills examination. The areas of the advanced skills examination are selected with the approval of the Research Advisor. The Written Examination is administered and evaluated by the Graduate Committee.
The student may pass, fail, or be required to do additional work. This result is determined by the Graduate Committee in consultation with the Research Advisor. A grade of Pass concludes the Written Examination. A grade of Fail results in dismissal from the Ph.D. program. A grade of Conditional Pass requires the student to complete any remedial work identified by the Graduate Committee and the Research Advisor before re-evaluation. Remedial work may include retaking identified sections of the Written Examination.
Directed Research
The Directed Research part of the Diagnostic Examination tests the student’s ability to conduct research. The student must register for one semester comprising at least three credits of Directed Research (RBE 598) with the Research Advisor.
Before the Directed Research begins, the student must notify the Graduate Committee that it is part of the Diagnostic Examination and identify the general area of the work. The Graduate Committee will then approve a Co-advisor for the Directed Research. At the end of the Directed Research semester, the student will submit a written report and deliver a presentation about the research. The Research Advisor and Co-advisor will evaluate the work to determine if the student has shown sufficient research potential to become a Ph.D. Candidate.
The student may pass, fail, or be required to do additional work. This result is determined by the Advisors. A grade of Pass concludes the Directed Research. A grade of Fail results in dismissal from the Ph.D. program. A grade of Conditional Pass requires the student to complete any remedial work before re-evaluation. The result is independent of the actual project grade.
Upon successful completion of the Written Examination and Directed Research parts of the Diagnostic Examination, the student becomes a “Ph.D. Candidate”.
Dissertation
Dissertation Committee
Within one semester after the successful completion of the Diagnostic Examination, the student, in consultation with the Research Advisor, assembles a Dissertation Committee. The committee consists of the Research Advisor and three additional members, at least one of whom must be from outside the WPI RBE Program. The Dissertation Committee is responsible for approving the Dissertation Proposal and the Dissertation.
Dissertation Proposal
The Dissertation Proposal describes the student’s proposed research. The Dissertation Proposal should be sufficiently detailed to convince the Dissertation Committee of the student’s understanding of the problem domain along with the significance of the proposed work.
The Dissertation Proposal must be defended in a public presentation, immediately followed by private questioning from the Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee then determines the outcome of the Proposal Defense. It may accept the proposal, reject the proposal and recommend pursuit of a different topic, or require the student do additional work before reconsidering the proposal. The time frame for the student to do additional work on the Dissertation Proposal is determined by the Dissertation Committee.
Dissertation
All Ph.D. students must complete and orally defend a Dissertation prepared under the supervision of the Research Advisor. The research described in the Dissertation must be original and constitute a contribution to knowledge in the major field of the candidate. The Dissertation must be defended in a public presentation, immediately followed by private questioning from the Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee then determines the outcome of the Dissertation Defense, certifying the quality and originality of the research, and the satisfactory execution of the Dissertation. It may accept the Dissertation with or without revisions, reject the Dissertation, or require the student do additional work before reconsidering the Dissertation. The time frame for the student to complete additional work is determined by the Dissertation Committee.
Admission
Students will be eligible for admission to the program if they have earned an undergraduate or graduate degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics Engineering, or a related field from an accredited university. Applicants must supply a Statement of Purpose, three Letters of Recommendation, and Graduate Record Examination scores. The GRE requirement may be waived for WPI students and alumni, or at the discretion of the Robotics Engineering Graduate Program Committee when supplied with additional supporting materials such as published papers or a record of work experience. Admission decisions will be made by the Robotics Engineering Graduate Program Committee based on all of the information presented in the application.
Faculty
This is a joint program administered by the Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering departments, comprising faculty members who are interested in robotics graduate education and research and who hold advanced degrees. The Robotics Engineering undergraduate and graduate programs share the Director and Associate Directors.
BS/MS in Robotics Engineering
The requirements for the proposed M.S. in Robotics Engineering are structured so that undergraduate students would be able to pursue a five-year Bachelors/Masters program, in which the Bachelors degree is awarded in any major offered at WPI and the Masters degree is awarded in Robotics Engineering.
WPI allows the double counting of up to 12 credits for students pursuing a 5-year Bachelors-Masters program. This overlap can be achieved through the following mechanisms:
- Up to three graduate courses in RBE, CS, ECE, or ME taken by the student may be counted towards meeting the engineering/science/elective requirements of the student’s undergraduate major, subject to approval by his/her major department.
- Up to two 4000-level undergraduate courses taken by the student in his/her undergraduate major program may be counted towards the requirements of the Masters Degree in Robotics Engineering if they can be placed in one of the requirement categories listed above and are approved by the Robotics Engineering Graduate Program Committee.
- Up to three credits can be earned towards fulfillment of the capstone design requirement by double counting a senior undergraduate project if it involves substantial use of Robotics Engineering at an advanced level, subject to approval by the Robotics Engineering Graduate Program Committee. In this case, students may satisfy the capstone design requirement by completing 3 credits of capstone design project RBE 598 or practicum RBE 596, not necessarily related to the senior undergraduate project.
Summary of Credit Requirements
| MS Thesis | MS Non-Thesis | BS/MS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robotics Core | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Engineering Context | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Electives | 6 | 9 | 9 |
| Thesis | 9 | -- | -- |
| Capstone Design / Practicum | -- | 6 | 6 |
| Double Count | -- | -- | (12) |
| Total | 36 | 36 | 24 |
