Vijay Kumar (roboticist)
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Ohio State University (MSc, PhD)
Vijay Kumar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962 (age 63–64) India |
| Education | IIT Kanpur (B.Tech.) Ohio State University (MSc, PhD) |
| Spouse | Maneesha Altekar |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Robotics |
| Institutions | University of Pennsylvania |
| Website | www |
Vijay Kumar (born 1962) is an Indian roboticist. He is a UPS Foundation professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science. He was appointed Dean of Penn Engineering on 1 July 2015.[1] Kumar was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2018.[2]
Kumar was born in 1962.[3] While his family was from Tamil Nadu, he grew up in West Bengal, Bhilai, Delhi, and Bihar.[4] Kumar earned his Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology before moving to the United States for his Master of Science and PhD at Ohio State University.[5]
Career
Upon completing his PhD in 1987, Kumar joined the Faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.[5] However, he moved to the Department of Computer and Information Science (CIS) in 1989 and evolved his research in kinematics, robotics, and mechanical design. His efforts were recognized in 1991 with a National Science Foundation's Presidential Young Investigator Award.[6] During his early tenure as a professor in CIS, Kumar developed new courses in robotics and received the 1996 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.[7] He was promoted to Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics in 1997.[8] In his research laboratory, the GRASP lab, Kumar and his team focused on developing an all-terrain wheelchair that could climb stairs and clear obstacles.[9] He also worked on developing a 15 inch robot that could climb up and down stairs to assist firefighters and bomb squads.[10]
Honours and awards
- Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2003)
- Kayamori Best Paper Award, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (2004)
- IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Distinguished Lecturer (2005)
- Fellow, Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (2005)
- IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Distinguished Award (2012)
- George H. Heilmeier Faculty Award for Excellence in Research (2013)[11]
- Member, National Academy of Engineering (2013)
- Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award (2013)
- IIT Kanpur Distinguished Alumnus Award 2013–14, for his outstanding contributions to the area of control and coordination of multi-robot formations.
- The Joseph Engelberger Award by the Robotics Industries Association (2014)
- IEEE Robotics and Automation Award (2020)
