RAYNHAM – The Robotics Industries Association selected Howie Choset, founder and acting chief technology officer of Medrobotics of Raynham, for a 2019 Englberger Robotics Award.
A computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, he was awarded the Engelberger Robotics Award for Education on April 10, according to an announcement. He developed curriculum for the university’s second major in robotics, and a minor, mentoring graduate students who went on to start robotics companies.
ISO 9001:2026: A Practical Opportunity to Build for What’s Next
For Rhode Island manufacturers, ISO 9001 has been much more than a certificate on the…
Learn More
The award recognizes Choset’s leadership of Carnegie Mellon’s robotics program, as well as his research in areas such as multi-robot collaboration, surgery, manufacturing, search and rescue, and infrastructure inspection.
“A key feature of Howie’s work is the ability to convert fundamental research into real-world applications with far-reaching societal impact,” said Martial Hebert, director of the university’s robotics institute.
Choset’s snake-like robots can move through difficult environments, making them useful in urban search and rescue, for mapping and inspecting caves, pipes and other confined areas.
In April 2017, Choset appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where one of his snake robots crawled up Fallon’s leg. Five months later, the same robot was deployed in Mexico City to search for earthquake victims.
His award was presented in conjunction with the Automate 2019 Show and Conference in Chicago.
Medrobotics was a PBN Fastest Growing and Innovative Company in 2015.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
