Event Location: 1305 Newell Simon Hall
Bio: Marc Raibert is President of Boston Dynamics, a company that develops some of the world’s most sophisticated dynamic robots, including BigDog, Petman, Legged Squad Support System (LS3) and others. These robots combine advanced locomotion control systems with innovative mechanical designs. They are specialized for travel on rough terrain. Before starting Boston Dynamics Raibert was Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT from 1986 to 1995. Before that he was Associate Professor of Computer Science and Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon. While at MIT and Carnegie-Mellon Raibert founded the Leg Laboratory, a lab that helped establish the scientific basis for highly dynamic legged robots. Raibert is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Abstract: Only about half the Earth’s landmass is inaccessible to wheeled and tracked vehicles, yet people and animals can go almost everywhere on foot. Our goal is to harness the power of legs to create robot vehicles that can go anywhere people legged animals go. The systems we build combine dynamic control systems, actuated mechanisms and sensing to travel on terrain that is too rocky, sandy, muddy, snowy and wet for existing conventional vehicles. Raibert will talk about progress at Boston Dynamics in building such systems, including BigDog, PETMAN, LS3 and others.