Dr. Monroe Kennedy III
Assistant Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department
Stanford University
https://me.stanford.edu/people/monroe-kennedy
Abstract
The field of robotic autonomy has made extraordinary progress, evolving from assembly lines to self-driving vehicles navigating public roads. Yet, a significant challenge remains: bringing robots into our everyday environments to perform functional, meaningful tasks. Why is this so difficult? The answer lies in two key areas: the limited dexterity of robots in handling objects that humans manipulate effortlessly, and the complexities of enabling robots to collaborate seamlessly with humans—either as partners in completing tasks or as tools that enhance human capabilities. In this talk, we will explore these challenges, focusing on the pivotal role of robotic dexterity and the transformative potential of advancing the sense of robotic touch to bridge the gap between robots and human environments.
About Dr. Monroe Kennedy III
Monroe Kennedy is an assistant professor in Mechanical Engineering and by courtesy, Computer Science at Stanford University. Monroe is the recipient of the NSF Faculty Early Career Award. He directs the Assistive Robotics and Manipulation Laboratory (ARMLab), where the focus is on developing collaborative, autonomous robots capable of performing dexterous, complex tasks with human and robotic teammates. Monroe received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics and master’s in Robotics from the University of Pennsylvania.