My research lab is called the Interactive Robotics Laboratory (IRL). We are a group of creatively minded people that includes 10 graduate students, about a dozen undergraduates, and of course, me. Although we were only founded since 2012, IRL has made its name known in the robotics community. Our coming out party was the winning of NASA’s Sample Return Robot Centennial Challenge (total prize of $855,000). We were also the first group that developed precision autonomous pollination robot (just in case we won’t have enough bees in the future!). We are currently working closely with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in improving the autonomy of future Mars rovers (with seven students working for 10-weeks each at JPL).
We are also interested in the interactions among multiple robots. We are currently working on a cooperative UAV and UGV group in exploring underground tunnels. One of our bio-inspired ideas was recently selected by the highly prestigious NASA NIAC program. We are planning to send 100,000 micro ballooning spider probes into Mars’s global dust storm. With the funding form NSF, we are also working on human-swarm interaction: how can one human operator influence the global emergent behavior of a 50-robot swarm without directly controlling individual robots?
Our creative and futuristic work has drawn frequent media attentions. Our research was featured in over 65 news stories by media outlets such as the Discovery Channel, Wired, NASA 360, ABC News, Time Warner Cable, Associate Press, Aviation Week, and Air & Space Smithsonian Magazine.
Our success was building upon IRL member’s creativity, hard work, and ambitions. IRL provides a free thinking and collaborative environment that allow everyone to reach his/her full potential. We are also blessed for having the state-of-the-art facilities with more robots than human group members. At IRL, students are encouraged to develop their own research ideas, supported by resource provided internally and from external sponsors.
We are always looking for talented and motivated students to join us. Email me (yu.gu@mail.wvu.edu) if you are interested. As a diverse group, we are not looking for people of any particular background. For example, practical engineers and abstract thinkers are both appreciated in our group. Your GPA and GRE are also not as important as demonstrated ability to innovate and the obsessions towards creation (e.g., success in a related hobby). So make a case for yourself before emailing me.
Ph.D. Positions
We are always looking to fill 1-2 Ph.D. positions each year. These positions are fully funded (with tuition waived) by research projects or fellowships. To qualify, you should have excellent verbal and writing skills in English, should be motivated and capable of creatively working in a team environment. You can be enrolled in either the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (for a ME or AE degree) or Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (for a CS, CpE, or EE degree). Please read the IRL guide for Ph.D. Study before applying.
M.S. Positions
IRL in general does not provide research assistantships to M.S. Students. If you are interested in pursuing a M.S. degree at IRL, you need to prepare your own funding or obtain an assistantship from the departments or WVU. IRL can assist perspective students with an outstanding credential to apply for Teaching Assistantships or Fellowships.
Undergraduate Research Positions
If you are currently a WVU undergraduate student who is interested in gaining research experience in robotics, you can participate in many different ways. For example, you can pursue a thesis or research credits at IRL; you can perform a senior deign project at IRL, or you can work as either a volunteer or hourly worker (limited positions available). Please contact me for details.
If you are from outside of WVU, please consider applying to our NSF REU program on human-swarm interaction.
Exchange/Visiting Positions
Please contact me if you are interested in visiting IRL. Generally, you would need to prepare your own funding support for these activities.