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  • William R. Michalson
William R. Michalson
William R. Michalson
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Professor
Affiliated Department or Office: 
Computer Science
Robotics Engineering
Education: 
BS Syracuse University 1981
MS Worcester Polytechnic Institute 1985
PhD Worcester Polytechnic Institute 1989

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. I supervise the WPI Center for Advanced Integrated Radio Navigation (CAIRN), where I am developing a Public Safety Integration Center focused on the integration of communications, navigation, and information technologies for public safety applications. My research focuses on the development, testing, and evaluation of systems for both civilian and military applications with a special emphasis on techniques focused on indoor, underground, or otherwise GPS-deprived situations. My interests in communication, navigation, and computing have led me to play an active role in the development of the Robotics Program at WPI, where I teach robotics courses at the graduate and undergraduate level.

Office Location
85 Prescott 204
Contact
Phone: 
+1-508-831-5766
wrm@wpi.edu

Research Interests

Research Interests: 
global positioning systems performance prediction in distributed
real-time
multiprocessor systems
performance optimization of highly parallel computer systems

News

Members of the WPI SailBot team gather on the dock in front of their bot as they wait for the competition to begin.
Daily Herd
SailBot Combines Robotics and Sailing Challenges
June 18, 2018
Two teams of four students each stand on either side of President Leshin and Kent Rismiller. All are dressed in professional attire, the students are holding framed certificates, and there are large windows with red curtains in the background.
Daily Herd
Celebrating the Power of Student Project Work with the President’s IQP Award
February 13, 2018
A photo of the gray, black, and red WALRUS bot.
Daily Herd
WPI Working on Life-Saving Robots to Aid in Future Disasters
September 01, 2017
Sailbot winners alt
The winning crew: Professor William Michalson, Tucker Martin, Nick Gigliotti, Hans Johnson, James Kuszmaul, Jordan Burklund, and professor Ken Stafford.
Press Release
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Robotics Team Guides Unmanned Sailboat to Victory in SailBot ’17
June 20, 2017

Media Coverage

Sailing Away: Behind WPI’s Victorious SailBot 2018 Pursuit

WPI’s sailing prowess was highlighted in Robotics Business Review, " Sailing Away: Behind WPI's Victorious Sailbot 2018 Pursuit." “For the second year in a row, a team from Worcester Polytechnic Institute won the event,” the article stated.  

Robotics Business Review Logo

Patents

Multi-Channel Electrophysiologic Signal Data Acquisition System on an Integrated Circuit
Other Inventor(s):
John A. McNeill, Edward A. Clancy
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