robotics

He's building the next generation of autonomous robots

After going into lockdown, Hanumant Singh, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, is finally back with the robots in his lab. It may not be the same, he says, but he and his team are ready to pick up where they left off and continue building the drones of the future.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa October 12, 2020

Testing medical protective gear is the perfect job for robots–but not without the help of humans.

When the production and manufacturing industry for personal protective equipment encountered a bottled neck because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Taskin Padir, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, set up a team to help mobilize the process of testing surgical masks and gowns in local hospitals. Now, he wants to build a robotic system that could help manufacturers perform that process faster and more efficiently during this and future pandemics.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa October 5, 2020

What can a rhododendron teach us about robotics?

Moneesh Upmanyu, professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, is studying how and why the leaves of rhododendron plants curl up in cold temperatures. The answer could help him design smart, folding structures and electronics that respond to temperature changes or other stimulation.

by Laura Castañón March 27, 2020

How to stop an iceberg in its tracks

In Greenland, icebergs are melting fast. With an ocean robot made by Northeastern professor Hanumant Singh, scientists are beginning to understand just how fast.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa February 27, 2020

Penguins are starving as Antarctica gets warmer. Drones are counting the losses.

Scientists suspect that the population of the chinstrap penguins that inhabit Elephant Island is dwindling. A team that includes two Northeastern doctoral students is seeking to measure the decline using drones and machine learning algorithms.

by Vikrant Shah - contributor February 11, 2020

Robotic arms, a device that disinfects your iPhone, and other mechanical engineering wonders

A battery-powered water purification system. A machine to improve the processing of cocoa pods in Nigeria. A device to disinfect your iPhone. These were just some of the mechanical engineering projects on display Tuesday at Northeastern.

by Laura Castañón December 3, 2019

To build a better drone, look to the bat

When bats fly, they use less energy than other flying animals. Alireza Ramezani, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern, is making a new robotic mechanism that will mimic the ability of bats to fly smart and save energy.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa October 18, 2019

How robots can help veterans, or patients with dementia

Arielle Scoglio, a doctoral student who studies social robots—robots whose function is to interact with people socially, while also helping them to manage their physical and psychological well being—hopes that as the technology for these types of robots improves, they can be replicated in a cost-effective way, and thus allow people who struggle with physical or cognitive disabilities to use them at home.

by Khalida Sarwari September 26, 2019

Watch Live: A discussion of higher education in the age of artificial intelligence

Join the event on July 10 for a discussion on the key recommendations from Aoun’s book and the implications for the future of higher education and human capital development.

by Kevin Deane July 9, 2019

He left his comfort zone to explore the frontiers of engineering and culture

Recent graduate Conor Messer has lived, worked, and studied in Germany, Jordan, and the United States. Now, supported by a Fulbright Scholarship, he’s headed to Abu Dhabi to design a robot that performs minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

by Khalida Sarwari May 15, 2019