[comp.robotics] Grad programs in robotics

rtang@ds.kyoto.omronsoft.co.jp (Raymond Tang) (10/04/90)

I was wondering if anyone can offer some suggestions on some
good grad schools to apply to in the fields Aerospace robotics and robotics
in general.  (aerospace, electrical, computer engineering departments)
Any suggestions from any part of the world is welcome. (although english
speaking places would be preferable, although I speak chinese, can ask
where the washroom is in french, and manage to survive in Japan.. so far)

I am graduating next spring from computer engineering (control systems and
robotics specialization).
I would also appreciate info on what life is like at these places , after all
you can't study there  without living there.

I recall someone else asking something similar awhile ago but I didnt see too
many replys posted so i'm asking again for myself.

Thanks in advance.

				email addr: rtang@nff.ncl.omron.co.jp
				Ray Tang (U of Waterloo inmate)

shank@ariane.cs.ucla.edu (Eric Shank) (10/05/90)

For those interested in aerospace robotics graduate programs, I know
of several:

At MIT there is a Space Systems Laboratory, it is now under new
management so its focus will be changing.  Its former director was
Professor Dave Akin, who is now at

University of Maryland, College Park.  At MIT he investigated
underwater robots that simulated operations in zero gravity.  I also
visited

Stanford recently, and was very impressed by the robotics laboratory
in the aerospace department there under the direction of Professor
Robert Cannon.

Eric Shank
shank@cs.ucla.edu

rwilson@Neon.Stanford.EDU (Randy Wilson) (10/09/90)

I would heartily recommend Stanford University for someone interested in
robotics.  Someone already mentioned the Aero/Astro lab under Bob Cannon.
The CS robotics lab works together with the AA lab on some stuff, as well
as other projects.  Jean-Claude Latombe, Tom Binford, Oussama Khatib, Yoav
Shoham, and Nils Nilsson work on a range of topics from design of small
mobile robots and manipulators through motion planning up to geometric
reasoning and AI.  The lab has an exciting, dynamic environment, and we're
growing quickly.  We have quite a few students from MechEng, and cooperate
with groups in ME as well.  We also work with several groups from companies
here in Silicon Valley.

As for living conditions, the weather here can't be beat, San Francisco is
only a jaunt away, everyone is relaxed, and student housing is affordable
and very nice.  And your windsurfing or scuba diving class counts for 
academic credit!

Of course, I'm a little biased, being a PhD student at Stanford :-).  I just
ask you to consider it and maybe apply.

Randy "just a satisfied customer" Wilson