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Jessy Grizzle: News

Community-builder Leon Pryor takes Detroit’s FIRST Robotics program to new heights

Having excelled in careers at Microsoft, Amazon, and now Meta, the alum and renowned video game engineer co-founded The Motor City Alliance to make Detroit a powerhouse for FIRST Robotics teams
University of Michigan: December 13, 2021

U-M founds first robotics department among top 10 engineering schools

The new department grew out of the Robotics Institute, directed by ECE faculty member and the person behind the world’s fastest bipedal robot with knees back in 2011, Prof. Jessy Grizzle.
A4: All About Ann Arbor: September 27, 2021

University of Michigan is ‘training’ these robots in disaster response

Prof. Jessy Grizzle leads a new $1 million research grant from the National Science Foundation to “train” robots to navigate disaster zones and wilderness areas in real time.
DBusiness Magazine: September 16, 2021

U-M Receives $1M Grant for Bipedal First Responder Robots Project

A new University of Michigan research project led by Prof. Jessy Grizzle and funded by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation will enable robots to navigate in real time without the need for a preexisting map of the terrain they traverse.

$1M for open-source first-responder robots

An open-source perception and movement system, to be developed with NSF funding, could enable robots that partner with humans in fires and disaster areas.

Provost’s Teaching Innovation Prize for new robotics course that focuses on equitable education

An interdisciplinary team of faculty created a new introductory course in robotics that is designed for inclusivity by focusing on linear algebra instead of AP calculus, opening it up to freshman students with a broad mathematical background.
Associated Press: March 17, 2021

Ford partners with University of Michigan on robotics research, new building

Jessy Grizzle talks about the new building, and creating realistic situations for the robots that roam inside.

U-Michigan, Ford open world-class robotics complex

The facility will accelerate the future of advanced and more equitable robotics and mobility
ASEE Prism: February 5, 2021

Solving for Equity

Profs. Jessy Grizzle and Chad Jenkins, the director and associate director of the Robotics Institute, are developing a robotics engineering degree that launches freshmen with computational linear algebra in a projects-based course. Their goal is to increase student access, engagement, and success along with overall equity.

‘Solving for equity’: A Michigan Robotics course flips the script on engineering ed

ASEE Prism magazine explores how linear algebra could level the playing field.
Tech Xplore: January 4, 2021

Exploring the use of artificial intelligence in architecture

Tech Xplore features the U-M Robotics Building and Prof. Jessy Grizzle in this piece about exploring the use of artificial intelligence in architecture

Lights in the labs – and eyes – of researchers coming back to work

‘Noncritical’ in-person research begins ramping up, with public-health protocols.

ECE honors Spirit Day 2019

Faculty, students, and staff came together in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community for the world-wide anti-bullying campaign.
Popular Mechanics: October 17, 2019

Meet the super robots that are about to lap the world’s fastest humans

Prof. Jessy Grizzle’s robot, Mabel, is profiled in this piece by Popular Mechanics.
University of Michigan: October 9, 2019

U-M MUSEUM OF ART BRINGS ROBOTS TO THE ART WORLD

U-M Robotics members, including Robotics Director and ECE Professor Jessy Grizzle, are working with the University of Michigan Museum of Art to test a prototype robot docent.

A World Record for Robotic Deep Freeze Walking

Cassie Blue, the bipedal robot, takes advantage of the 2019 polar vortex to set a record-breaking walk.

U-M researchers provide control software to ensure autonomous vehicles stay in their lane

The team was awarded a Best New Application Paper Award by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society for their work developing reliable control systems for Lane Keeping and Adaptive Cruise Control.
Click on Detroit: May 15, 2019

Inside University of Michigan’s Robotics Lab in Ann Arbor

ClickonDetroit tours Prof. Jessy Grizzle’s robotics lab.

Black Engineers convention comes to Detroit and ECE is there to welcome the record-breaking 14,000 attendees

At this year’s convention for the National Society of Black Engineers, U-M professors, students, and alums came together with the other attendees to share experiences, offer career advice, and explore how to improve society.

Getting people moving – Walking exoskeletons could mobilize disabled patients

Prof. Jessy Grizzle has long said that his work in robotics could one day be used to help the disabled. Now he and his group, alongside French company Wandercraft, are working to make that claim a reality in the form of walking exoskeletons.

Latest two-legged walking robot arrives at Michigan

Built to handle falls, and with two extra motors in each leg, the new robot will help U-M roboticists take independent robotic walking to a whole new level.

CASSIE: A tougher, lighter bipedal robot with eyes

New walking robot based on birds

U-M first in line for new bird-inspired walking robot

Cassie is the first offering from new startup Agility Robotics, and is loosely modeled on the cassowary, a flightless bird similar to an ostrich.

Meet the new director of Michigan Robotics

Prof. Jessy Grizzle named inaugural director of Michigan Robotics

EECS research highlighted at 2016 Robotics: Science and Systems Conference

The University hosted the 2016 Robotics: Science and Systems Conference, which allowed attendees to hear about the latest in robotics through talks, presentations, workshops, and tutorials.

MARLO makes initial attempt at the Wave Field

For now, Grizzle and his graduate students are only attempting the easiest routes, between the grassy two- to three-foot moguls, over smaller undulations that he calls “merely very difficult.”

Michigan shines at the National Robotics Initiative 5 year anniversary

The NRI is a multi-agency effort to accelerate the development and use of robots that work beside or cooperatively with people.

MARLO, the free-standing two-legged robot, conquers terrain with innovative control algorithms

The robot’s feedback control algorithms should be able to help other two-legged robots as well as powered prosthetic legs gain similar capabilities.

Students receive prizes for simulating the best landing of a rocket booster

The goal of the class project was to control the safe landing of a rocket booster after it disengaged from the portion of the rocket that would continue into Space.

Star Wars tech: How far are we? Chewie gets answers

Chewie talks to experts about spacecraft thrusters, light sabers, droids, carbonite and holograms.

Chicago alumni connect at networking reception

The ACC is one of the world’s premier scientific and engineering conferences dedicated to the advancement of control theory and practice.

ECE welcomes new engineering robotics center

The center, to be built on North Campus, will offer state-of-the-art facilities in a 3-story, 100,000 square foot building.

Jessy Grizzle Delivers Distinguished University Professorship Lecture on Bipedal Robots

The lecture covered the different iterations of Prof. Grizzle’s world-renowned bipedal creations since he started work on Rabbit in 1999.

HEV fuel economy meets drivability in Outstanding Control Systems Paper

The research aimed to find a happy medium between fuel economy and drivability in hybrid electric vehicles.

Jessy Grizzle named Elmer G. Gilbert Distinguished University Professor

Prof. Grizzle is an internationally renowned researcher in the area of control systems.

Awards and Slaying of the Dragon at St. George’s Day Feast – 2014

Prof. Jessy Grizzle was awarded “Professor of the Year” by HKN.

Two-legged robot walks outside at U-M

MARLO and its counterparts represent the second bipedal robot model in the world with a gait that isn’t flat-footed.

Jessy Grizzle Honored with Hendrik W. Bode Lecture Prize from IEEE Control Systems Society

This prestigious honor recognizes distinguished contributions to control systems science and engineering.

MABEL the bipedal robot

MABEL, at one time the world’s fasted running bipedal robot, now sits in the biomechanics exhibit at the Chicago Field Museum.

Jessy Grizzle named IFAC Fellow

Grizzle is well-known in the robotic community for his work with the bipedal robot MABEL, and has worked in the automotive industry for over two decades.

Brian Buss awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Buss’ research focusses on using control theory in order to control glucose levels in ICU patients.

2010 College of Engineering Awards

Ford, U of M explore new ways to speed development of future hybrid vehicles

“The main goal of this project,” explained Opila, “is to bring advanced methods to HEV and plug-in HEV design.”

Jessy Grizzle Named the Jerry W. and Carol L. Levin Professor of Engineering

Prof. Grizzle combines research excellence with teaching excellence.

Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award, Jessy Grizzle

Distinguished Faculty Achievement Awards honor senior faculty who consistently have demonstrated outstanding achievements in the areas of scholarly research and/or creative endeavors; teaching and mentoring of students and junior faculty; service; and a variety of other activities.

Run, RABBIT, run!

Today, no other biped machine walks faster, is as stable, or varies its walking speed so adroitly.