The Robot Makers | Stanford University School of Engineering

Five robot inventors share how they got their start in the field and how they've seen it evolve.

Stanford’s robot makers didn’t know how slowly the field would move when they first got started. Many thought the problems in robotics would be quickly solved. Today, the masterminds behind the Vinebot, OceanOne and Stickybot see an exciting future — and a lot of challenges — ahead.

Portrait of Monroe Kennedy

Mar 14, 2022

Why the future needs robots with a human touch

Technology & Society, Transportation & Robotics

Image of bird robot on tree branch

Dec 8, 2021

A team of engineers create a perching bird-like robot

Technology & Society, Transportation & Robotics

A new algorithm can help drones and other similar low-power robots decide when and when not to off-load their AI tasks. | iStock/evandrorigon

Sep 16, 2021

Solving the robot off-loading problem

Artificial Intelligence, Computation & Data

A robotic gripper, developed by Stanford engineers, was tested aboard the ISS. | From a video by Kurt Hickman

May 24, 2021

Stanford ‘gecko gripper’ tested on the International Space Station

Technology & Society, Transportation & Robotics

The OceanOne robot that can dive and recover objects at depths where humans can’t operate. | Image courtesy of Frederic Osada and Teddy Seguin/DRASSM

Mar 5, 2019

Oussama Khatib: My group has always been inspired by the human example

Artificial Intelligence, Technology & Society, Transportation & Robotics

At the STAN (Society, Technology, Art and Nature) event in 2011, Ng spoke about his work with autonomous helicopters. | Photo credit: L.A. Cicero

Mar 5, 2019

Andrew Ng: Deep learning has created a sea change in robotics

Artificial Intelligence, Technology & Society, Transportation & Robotics

Salomon Trujillo, John Ulmen, Alan Asbeck, and Cutkosky observe the Stickybot III in a trial run on a glass surface. | Photo credit: L.A. Cicero

Mar 4, 2019

Mark Cutkosky: The work in my lab centers around bio-inspired robots

Artificial Intelligence, Technology & Society, Transportation & Robotics

Okamura, left, celebrates a successful project with students. | Photo credit: L.A. Cicero

Mar 4, 2019

Allison Okamura: I wasn’t one of those kids that always loved robots

Artificial Intelligence, Health, Transportation & Robotics

Lentink holds an example of the models his students are making to simulate birds in flight. | Photo credit: L.A. Cicero

Mar 4, 2019

David Lentink: We want to fly anywhere, regardless of turbulence

Artificial Intelligence, Technology & Society, Transportation & Robotics