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About Michigan Robotics
Our mission
Work together. Create smart machines. Serve society.
Michigan Robotics creates and leads innovative initiatives and robust programs that elevate outcomes for both robotics and roboticists in research, academics, and society.
Key Facts
- Originated as the Robotics Institute in 2014
- Ford Robotics Building completed in 2021
- First undergraduate robotics major among top-ten engineering schools in 2022
- $7.8M in research expenditures in 2023
Academics
Research focus areas
Impact and innovation
Open-source projects
Michigan researchers regularly publish and share their work with the community, including:
- MBot: an educational robot platform, more than 300 of are used by our undergrad and grad students
- Open-Source Leg: a bionic prosthetic leg
- Data sets: from underwater sonar scans to pedestrian paths for autonomous vehicles
Engagement
We partner with industry, academic, and community organizations through research collaborations, recruiting, and student projects.
Our corporate engagement pathways range from sponsoring student teams to establishing research centers.
Faculty-Led Spin-offs
- May Mobility: Driverless transit in communities
- Voxel51: Computer vision data and modeling
- Refraction AI: Automated last-mile delivery
- Precision 3D: Advanced printing
- NewHaptics: Haptic display for the blind
The University of Michigan has a long history of developing innovative solutions and products through Innovation Partnerships.
Leadership
The Robotics Department is led by the Executive Committee: Dawn Tilbury, Department Chair; Mark Draelos; Jessy Grizzle; Dimitra Panagou; Elliott Rouse; Leia Stirling, Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies (ex-officio); Ram Vasudevan, Associate Director of Graduate Studies (ex-officio).