Newswise — A University of West Florida-Institute for Human Machine & Cognition research team received a $478,000 grant for the acquisition of advanced robotic platforms and equipment from the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program of the Office of Naval Research. The grant was one of only 64 grants awarded in the nation. Dr. Robert Griffin and Dr. Matt Johnson, who both hold dual appointments with IHMC and UWF through the Intelligent Systems and Robotics program, and Dr. Hakki Erhan Sevil, UWF ISR faculty member, worked together to apply for the funding.
“The Office of Naval Research has been an enormous supporter of both IHMC and the UWF ISR program for as long as I have been here,” Griffin said. “This is clear through the projects they have sponsored with us, as well as the granting of this third DURIP to augment our capabilities within the ISR program. While much of their focus and involvement with us has been towards humanoid robots, the research they have supported and DURIPs they have granted have allowed us to greatly expand our capabilities both to conduct top tier research and support and train the next generation of engineers and scientists. We’re looking forward to the next phase of this work, which will allow us to take our state-of-the-art robotic systems out of the lab and into the real world.”
According to the Department of Defense, “the DURIP program equips universities to perform state-of-the-art research that boosts the nation’s technological advantage, while ensuring that the future science, technology, engineering and mathematics workforce remains second to none.” This funding will significantly enhance UWF and IHMC’s ability to develop, test and deploy mobile robotic systems in real-world environments.
“IHMC has a long history of conducting leading edge research in robotics, not only for the Office of Naval Research, but also for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration,” Johnson said. “This DURIP enables IHMC and UWF to continue to conduct research at the cutting edge. It affords students in the UWF-IHMC ISR program access to the state-of-the-art systems for their research to foster development of high quality next generation researchers.”
A key component of this expansion is the acquisition of a Boston Dynamics Spot robot, which will serve as a platform for research on autonomy and human-machine teaming, further advancing the development of the Nadia Humanoid Robot. Additionally, upgrades to existing robotic platforms will enable research on dexterous manipulation for tasks.
“This DURIP-funded acquisition of advanced robotic platforms will provide Ph.D. students in the Intelligent Systems and Robotics program with unique research opportunities, and it will strengthen the position of the region in cutting-edge robotics education,” Sevil said. “We are not only enhancing engineering education in our department by equipping students with hands-on experience in autonomous systems, but also fostering the growth of the robotics industry in Northwest Florida.”
UWF and IHMC researchers will be better equipped to field and test mobile robots in various real-world environments, particularly for applications relevant to the Department of Defense, by integrating these capabilities. This is the third such DURIP grant received by the UWF-IHMC from ONR – a testament to the team’s dedication to advancing the state of the art for fielding robotic systems.
“This award is a significant milestone for the Intelligent Systems and Robotics program and a reflection of the outstanding collaborative work between UWF and IHMC,” said Dr. Brent Venable, Director of the ISR program. “The continued support from the Office of Naval Research is instrumental in enabling cutting-edge research, and this new equipment will provide our students and faculty with the tools they need to lead in the field of robotics. We’re proud to contribute to both scientific advancement and the growth of high-tech innovation in our region.”
For more information about the intelligent systems and robotics doctoral program at UWF, visit .
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