Faculty Director

Raymond J. Gorte, PhD

Kostas Daniilidis, Ph.D.
Professor of Computer and Information Science
Director, GRASP Laboratory

Dr. Daniilidis is the director of the interdisciplinary General Robotics and Sensory Perception (GRASP) Laboratory. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (1986) and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Karlsruhe (1992) under the supervision of Hans-Hellmut Nagel.

His research interests are in space and motion perception with machines, with applications on visual navigation, localization, omnidirectional vision, 3-D object recognition, and immersive environments. He was Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence.

Dr. Daniilidis founded the series of IEEE Workshops on Omnidirectional Vision as well as co-chaired the Third Symposium on 3-D Data Processing, Visualization, and Transmission. His work on stereo and tele-immersion was featured in Scientific American. He appeared in the Discovery Channel feature "Debunked" with his work on archaeological 3-D scanning in Costa Rica.

Robotics Master's Program

The master's program in Robotics is a unique program administered by Penn's General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception (GRASP) Laboratory, recognized as one of the nation's premier research centers. Multi-disciplinary in scope, the program provides an ideal foundation for what today's experts in robotics and intelligent systems need to know — from artificial intelligence, computer vision, control systems, dynamics, and machine learning to design, programming and prototyping of robotic systems.

Research in Robotics includes independent and group-oriented machines

Program Highlights: Opportunities for research projects in robotics and related fields in the world-famous GRASP Lab; participation in exciting competitions such as the international RoboCup soccer tournament; weekly GRASP seminars; and professional networking with peers in industry and academe.

Grounded in up-to-the minute research findings, the MSE in Robotics offers an ideal foundation for a successful career in robotics, defense, aerospace, and automotive industries, government agencies, or academe.

Robotics MSE Curriculum

Students must complete a total of ten courses comprised of four core and six electives. Core courses cover the following fields:

Robotics and Animation
Control Systems Design
Computer Vision
Machine Learning

Sample electives include:

Learning in Robotics
Vision and Learning
Hybrid Systems
Motion Planning
Mechatronics
Biomechanics

For more detailed information, watch the video or visit the MSE in Robotics website.