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Create smart machines.
Serve society.

The Robotics Department at the University of Michigan is creating the next generation of robotics and roboticists as force-multipliers for the benefit of society.

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Athena Lieu and a volunteer from Michigan Technological University at a FIRST Robotics Competition in Escanaba, Michigan.

FIRST Robotics alumni help Michigan teams from Escanaba to Detroit

May 28, 2026

Michigan students who grew up in FIRST Robotics travel across the state to give back by mentoring and volunteering with teams from Detroit, the Upper Peninsula, and even Ohio.

A simulated warehouse environment shows a red robotic arm picking boxes from shelves above a control console with a serial-number display, score and timer monitors, and red, blue, and green buttons used by a human operator.

Do robots need bodies? UMSI researchers say it depends

May 27, 2026

UMSI researchers challenge the assumption that virtual robot representations yield the same human responses as physically present robots, arguing the field should focus on when virtual alternatives are appropriate.

Boston Dynamics Spot robot quadruped walks up industrial staircase.

Robots and AI to help shipbuilding stay on track

May 11, 2026

American and Japanese researchers will develop robots and AI to help shipbuilders pivot when the built ship deviates from the planned design.

Volunteers pose in front of a FIRST Robotics banner at a competition.

Robotics Outreach Ambassadors of 2026

Apr 29, 2026

We honor students who are enthusiastic in outreach through their extraordinary service to the robotics community and beyond.

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Learn about our robotics community

Michigan Robotics creates and leads innovative initiatives and robust programs that elevate outcomes for both robotics and roboticists in research, academics, and society.

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