Ernst Dickmanns

This oral history covers aspects of the education and career of Kazuhiro Kosuge, detailing his professional life, starting with his university education and introduction to robotics, and continuing on to his career in the robotics field. Kosuge also touches upon his life in academia and working in research for many years before becoming a professor at Nagoya University, and later Tohoku. Also included is his personal reflection on his experience with the Dancer project, along with many other notable achievements throughout his extensive career. In addition, Kosuge offers his thoughts on the development of the robotics field and future milestones and leaves advice for newcomers who will continue the growth of robotics.

In this interview, Daniel Lee discusses his career in robotics, focusing on his research at Bell Labs and UPenn’s GRASP Lab. Describing his work on machine learning algorithms and in robotics projects, such as the robot dog and the DARPA Urban Challenge, he comments on the challenges of the field and his research. Reflecting on the evolution of the GRASP Lab and of the field of robotics, he comments on its potential and future.

In this interview, Jean Paul Laumond discusses his movement from mathematics to robotics and his career contributions to the field, especially in regards to motion planning and anthropomorphic motion. Describing his involvement at CNRS and in other robotics projects, such as HILARE, he comments on the distinction in perception between the robotics approach and a mathematics one.

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, Atkeson talks about his research projects, how he became involved with robotics, his collaboration with international partners, and mentoring students. Atkeson concludes this interview by giving advice not only for students interested in the robotics field but also for other students who are still deciding their future.

In this interview, Allison Okamura discusses her work in robotics, focusing on manipulation, planning, and sensory feedback and haptics. Describing her time with Immersion and at Johns Hopkins and Stanford, she outlines her involvement with robotics projects, such as Da Vinci Surgical System and the snake robot, and the innovations and successes of her work. Additionally, she describes her involvement in the robotics community, the role of women in robotics, and the challenges and potential of the field.