Robotics Engineering

    Faculty

Jing Xiao

Jing Xiao

Director, Robotics Engineering Program

Deans' Excellence Professor and William B. Smith Distinguished Fellow in Robotics Engineering

Computer Science

Office: 85 Prescott Street, Suite 201

My research spans robotics, haptics, multi-modal perception, and artificial intelligence, at the intersection of computer science and engineering. There are two highly related themes in my robotics research: one is the focus on “contact sport”, i.e., the contact and interaction between a robot or a part/tool it holds and the environment, and the other is real-time adaptiveness of robots to uncertainty and uncertain changes in an environment based on perception. ... View Profile
Nicholas Bertozzi

Nicholas Bertozzi

Senior Instructor

Computer Science

Office: 85 Prescott 207

I am delighted to return to full-time teaching as an instructor in the robotics engineering program at WPI after a long and very satisfying career at Daniel Webster College (DWC) where I had the opportunity to teach courses in engineering design (including CAD/CAM), statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, aerodynamics, and differential equations. I also had the privilege to serve as dean of the DWC School of Engineering and Computer Science (5/2009-12/2015). ... View Profile
Loris Fichera

Loris Fichera

Assistant Professor

Computer Science

Office: 85 Prescott 223A

My research interests are in the application of robotics and computer science to enhance medicine, and particularly surgery. What gets me out of bed in the morning is the prospect of helping doctors save lives and improve the quality of life of their patients. My students and I work side-to-side with clinical collaborators to create technology that presents a tangible clinical value – for instance, making an existing surgical procedure more accurate or enabling new procedures that are not feasible with current instrumentation. ... View Profile
Gregory S. Fischer

Gregory S. Fischer

Associate Professor

William Smith Dean’s Professor
Director, Automation and Interventional Medicine Laboratory (AIM Lab)
Director, PracticePoint

Mechanical Engineering

Office: 85 Prescott 234

Phone: 508-831-5261

Professor Fischer is a faculty member in Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Engineering with an appointment in Biomedical Engineering at WPI. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2008 from Johns Hopkins University, where he was part of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Computer Integrated Surgery. At WPI he has been an integral part of developing the Robotics Engineering program and teaches primarily junior-level and graduate courses in Robotics. ... View Profile
Jie Fu

Jie Fu

Assistant Professor

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Office: 85 Prescott 222

Phone: 508-831-4963

My research leverages control theory, formal methods, and machine learning to construct adaptive, provably correct cyber-physical systems with respect to complex specifications. The challenges I am currently interested in include: reactive robotic systems under partial information and modeling uncertainty, multi-robot coordination, optimal control of hybrid systems, and design of adaptive semi-autonomous systems. View Profile
Michael A. Gennert

Michael A. Gennert

Professor

Computer Science

Office: 85 Prescott 203

Phone: 508-831-5476

I teach and conduct research to solve problems that will make the world better: safer, healthier, and happier. Working with undergraduates, graduate students, post-docs, and other faculty, we develop humanoid robots for disaster recovery, robots to inspect trees for invasive insect pests, and autonomous boats for monitoring lakes. In the past I have worked on medical imaging to improve cancer and heart disease diagnoses and treatment, and spatio-temporal databases for global change research. In my spare time I like to hike, bike, ski, canoe, and play frisbee. View Profile
Zhi Li

Zhi Li

Assistant Professor

Mechanical Engineering

Office: 85 Prescott 223C

My reseach focuses on assistive robots that enhance motor learning and recovery. So far I have primarily worked with exoskeletons for stroke rehabilitation, tele-surgical manipulator robots, tele-nursing and tele-manufacturing humanoid robots. My research investigates the capability and development of human motor skills, and apply these insights to the robot motion planning and learning. In addition to human-inspired motion control, I am also interested in the synergy of human and robotic systems in human-robot interaction and collaboration. ... View Profile

William R. Michalson

Professor

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Office: 85 Prescott 204

Phone: 508-831-5766

I joined the faculty of the ECE Department in 1991 after leaving Raytheon Company, where I spent approximately 12 years involved with the development of embedded computers for guidance, communications, and data processing systems for spaceborne and terrestrial applications. At WPI I perform research and teach in the areas of navigation, communications, and computer system design. ... View Profile
Cagdas Denizel Onal

Cagdas Denizel Onal

Assistant Professor

Mechanical Engineering

Office: Higgins Labs 105

Phone: 508-831-4857

An integral part of a rewarding academic career is being an educator. It is a wonderful opportunity to work with students and guide their development to fulfill their potential. I enjoy teaching the fundamentals of robotics engineering, science and technology as well as training students in advanced independent research. I aim to teach students about research-based thinking and problem solving, to give them a real career choice to determine their future in further research or the industry. ... View Profile
Carlo Pinciroli

Carlo Pinciroli

Assistant Professor

Computer Science

Office: 85 Prescott 223B

The focus of my research is designing innovative tools for swarm robotics. I am developing Buzz, a programming language specifically designed for real-world robot swarms. During my Ph.D., I have designed ARGoS, which is currently the fastest general-purpose robot simulator in the literature. I am also working on swarm robotics solutions for disaster response scenarios, such as search-and-rescue and firefighting. View Profile
Marko B. Popovic

Marko B. Popovic

Asst. Research Professor

Physics

Office: 85 Prescott 213

Phone: 508-831-5378, 508-831-5392

Marko B. Popovic's research interest ranges from fundamental physics, e.g. particle physics, to human neurosensory-motor organization, engineering robotics systems that assist and augment humans, biomechatronics, and bioinspired engineering. He is the founder and director of Popovic Labs http://users.wpi.edu/~mpopovic/ where researchers study physics, biomechanics, and robotics with the goal of answering how living systems function and to synthesize systems that have resembling architecture and functionality and/or may improve life. ... View Profile
Craig B. Putnam

Craig B. Putnam

Senior Instructor

Associate Director, Robotics Engineering

Computer Science

Office: 85 Prescott 208

Phone: 508-831-6658

After many years in industry, it's time for me to give back. One way I have done that is through my involvement with FIRST Robotics. Over the past 15+ years I have been a FIRST parent, mentor, and team leader. More recently I have been judging in FLL and FRC tournaments at the regional, state, and national level. The other way I give back is through teaching. I take a great deal of pride and pleasure in helping students get off to a good start in their engineering careers. And there is nothing more rewarding than a former student stopping by several years later to say 'Thanks'. View Profile

Kenneth A. Stafford

Teaching Professor

Undergraduate Studies

Office: Higgins Lab 011

Phone: 508-831-6122

    Research Staff

Hideyuki Kimpara

Hideyuki Kimpara

Computer Science

Phone: 508-831-5587

Dr. Kimpara is a researcher at Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc. (TCRDL) in Japan. He received BS and MS degrees in mechanical and biomedical engineering from Keio University, and a Doctor of Engineering degree from Nagoya University. He joined TCRDL in 2000.  Dr. Kimpara has over 15 years of experience in injury biomechanics research, especially for development of THUMS models. During that period, he also worked at the Bioengineering Center of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, as a visiting scholar. Specific research topics include the development and biofidelity evaluation of human body finite element models, the development of traumatic brain injury evaluation methods, and the measurement and development of active muscle functions and control systems.

    Staff

Katherine Crighton

Katherine Crighton

Administrative Assistant VI

Computer Science

Phone: 508-831-6665

Katherine provides administrative support to the Robotics Program. These responsibilities include purchasing supplies for faculty and students, working with the undergraduate program, and overseeing student payroll. She has a B.A. from Bryn Mawr College in English, with a concentration in Creative Writing, and so naturally she spent several years in both science fiction and academic STEM publishing. Katherine enjoys spending time with her family, crafting, and watching appalling movies.

Kevin Harrington

Kevin Harrington

Robotics Lab Manager I

Computer Science

Teresa Hemple

Teresa Hemple

Administrative Assistant V

Computer Science

Phone: 508-831-6629

Bradley A. Miller

Bradley A. Miller

Associate Director, Robotics Resource Center

Undergraduate Studies

Office: Atwater Kent 121

Phone: 508-831-6796

Colleen Mary Shaver

Assoc Dir, Robotics Res Center

Undergraduate Studies

Office: Higgins Lab

Phone: 508-831-6750

Associated Faculty

Name Title Email Phone Extension Office Location
Madhi Agheli Assistant Teaching Professor mmaghelih@wpi.edu 5864 Higgins Laboratories, 109
Emmanuel O. Agu Associate Professor emmanuel@wpi.edu 5568 Fuller Labs, 139
Holly Ault Associate Professor hkault@wpi.edu 5498 Higgins Labs, 208
Scott Barton Assistant Professor sdbarton@wpi.edu 5260 Alden Memorial, 208
Torbjorn Bergstrom Operations Manager torbjorn@wpi.edu 5122 Washburn Shops, 107
Christopher Brown Professor brown@wpi.edu 5627 Washburn Shops, 235
Michael Ciaraldi Professor of Practice ciaraldi@wpi.edu 5117 Fuller Laboratories, 129
Raghvendra Cowlagi Assistant Professor rvcowlagi@wpi.edu 6405 Higgins Labs, 247
Michael Demetriou Professor mdemetri@wpi.edu 5459 Higgins Labs, 243
R. James Duckworth Associate Professor rjduck@wpi.edu 5204 Atwater Kent Laboratories, 301
Cosme Furlong Associate Professor cfurlong@wpi.edu 5126 Higgins Laboratories, 152
Allen Hoffman Professor ahoffman@wpi.edu 5217 Higgins Laboratories, 107
Xinming Huang Associate Professor xhuang@wpi.edu 5771 Atwater Kent Laboratories, 303
Yuxiang Shawn Liu Assistant Professor yliu11@wpi.edu 4829 Higgins Laboratories, 110
Fred Looft Professor fjlooft@wpi.edu 5369 Atwater Kent Laboratories, 012
Carlos Morato Adjunct Professor cwmorato@wpi.edu    
John Nafziger Adjunct Professor jsnafziger@wpi.edu    
Lenore Rasmussen Adjunct Professor wlrasmussen@wpi.edu    
Candace Sidner Research Professor sidner@wpi.edu 6637 Fuller Laboratories, 140
Jeanine Skorinko Associate Professor skorninko@wpi.edu 5451 Salisbury Laboratories, 371C
Alexander Wyglinski Associate Professor alexw@wpi.edu 5491 Atwater Kent Laboratories, 230

Faculty Emeritus

Name Title Email
David Cyganski Professor cyganski@wpi.edu

Affiliated Faculty

Name Email
Dmitry Berenson dberenson@wpi.edu
Sonia Chernova soniac@wpi.edu
Taskin Padir tpadir@wpi.edu
Eduardo Torres-Jara etorresj@wpi.edu