Faculty and Research
More than 50 UC San Diego professors and research scientists have elected to be a part of the Contextual Robotics Institute at its launch. These researchers lead teams working at the cutting edge of many interrelated research areas including computer vision, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, electronic actuators, dynamic controls, materials, nano- and micro-machines, sensors and sensing, controls systems, human-robot interactions, chips, wireless communications, new materials, biomimetics and power management. View a list of research sponsors.
Director
Henrik Christensen
Computer Science and Engineering
Christensen is a national policy leader for the field of robotics and has testified before Congress on the subject. He is the head of a nationwide effort to draft a robotics roadmap and explore the field’s potential to transform U.S. society. Most recently, he served as Director of the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines at Georgia Tech. Christensen's research covers computer vision, artificial intelligence and robotics, and his primary emphasis has been on a systems-oriented approach to machine perception, robotics and design of intelligent machines. He and his team seek solutions that are theoretically sound, with well-defined implementations that can be evaluated in realistic situations. He has worked with a number of industry partners, including Boeing, KUKA, iRobot, BMW and Apple.
Henrik Christensen joins UC San Diego
Henrik Christensen head shots
Executive Director
Todd Hylton
Professor of Practice, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Hylton most recently served as executive vice president of strategy and research at Brain Corporation, a San Diego-based robotics startup. Prior to Brain Corp., Hylton launched a series of successful projects as a program manager at DARPA, including a multi-million dollar effort to develop a chip inspired by the function of biological nervous systems. He launched DARPA’s SyNAPSE program in 2007, which developed a chip whose architecture is inspired by the brain. Hylton also managed the Nano Air Vehicle program at DARPA. Hylton has a track record as an inventor and entrepreneur and has been awarded 19 patents. In the early 2000s, he cofounded 4Wave, a startup specializing in semiconductor equipment.
Todd Hylton joins UC San Diego