Ronald Arkin

Richard D. (Dick) Klafter, one of the early leaders in the field of robotics and automation and the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, was born on 5 August 1936 and died 11 November 2019. He received an undergraduate degree at MIT, two graduate degrees from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the City University of New York (1969).

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, Kokotovic outlines his work and experiences throughout his time in Belgrade, Moscow, and the United States. He also goes into detail on his experiences working in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.

In this interview, Bobrow discusses his career in robotics from college to UCI. He reflects on his work in manipulation, rehabilitation robotics, and design optimization and muses the success, failures, and future challenges of the field of robotics. Additionally, he provides advice for young people interested in the field.

In this interview, Casals discusses her past and current work, her interest in integrating robots with humans, and her collaboration with companies and other non-academic institutions, and the challenges that come with it. She also gives advice to prospective students who are interested in the robotics field and her efforts in recruiting more women to the field of robotics.