Welcome to the Intelligent Robotics and Interactive Systems (IRIS) Lab! Our research is centered around:

• Human robot alignment: We develop methods to empower a robot with the ability to efficiently understand and be understood by human users through a variety of physical interactions. We explore how robots can aptly respond to and collaborate meaningfully with users.

• Contact-rich robot manipulation: We leverage physical principles to derive representations/models that enable robots to interact efficiently with their surroundings. We develop algorithms to enable robots manipulate objects through contact efficiently and robustly.

• Fundamental methods in robotics: We focus on developing fundamental theories and algorithms for achieving efficient, safe, and robust robot intelligence. Our methods lie at the intersection of model-based (control and optimization) and data-driven approaches, harnessing the complementary benefits of both.

                   

Recent News

• Zhixian Xie has recently joined the group as a PhD student. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Welcome, Zhixian!

• Wen Yang is now a PhD student in our group. He holds a master’s degree from Southern University of Science and Technology and has a year of experience at DJI. Welcome, Wen!

• Congratulations to our group member, Hussain Bhavnagarwala, for winning the Fulton MORE Scholarship!

• Aravind Prakash Senthil has joined our group as a master’s student. Welcome, Aravind!

• Swetha Tirumala has joined our group as a master’s student. Welcome, Swetha!