Daniel Lee

Richard D. (Dick) Klafter, one of the early leaders in the field of robotics and automation and the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, was born on 5 August 1936 and died 11 November 2019. He received an undergraduate degree at MIT, two graduate degrees from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the City University of New York (1969).

In this interview, Hollerbach discusses his pursuit of, and career in, robotics. Outlining his career at the AI Lab, he describes the research environment, and the interactions and collaborations of fellow researchers. Reflecting on the evolution of robotics and his involvement in the Year of the Robot and other robotics projects, he later comments on the current state and challenges of robotics and its future development and applications.

In this interview, Bob McGhee discusses his career in robotics, in particular his work on guided missiles, walking robots, and unmanned submarines. Describing his work on robotics projects, such as the phony pony and the bionic bug, he emphasizes the animal and human influence. Discussing the fallibility of robots, he describes the research and work being done at the time, as well as comments on the change in the perception of robotics and the evolution of the field.

Bajscy is currently Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences and Director Emeritus of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Science (CITRIS) at the University of California, Berkeley. There she continues to do innovative research on machine perception, robotics and artificial intelligence, winning the 2009 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science for her recent work.

In this interview, Alami discusses his original experiences with robotics under George Giralt at LAAS, the development of his interest in robot collaboration, and finally his work on human-robot interaction. Alami also provides insight into the challenges of robotics and the future of the industry.

In this interview, Hollis reflects on his early interest in robotics and his contributions to the field. Outlining the accomplishments throughout his career, he recounts the development of various robot projects, such as the Alpha- and Beta-Newt robot and Minifactory, and robotic technologies, especially haptics and precision systems. Additionally, he provides advice to young people interested in a career in the field of robotics.