Stony Brook University Welcomes New Humanoid Robot
The Interacting Robotics Systems Laboratory (IRSL) at Stony Brook University has welcomed an exciting new member: an $80,000 humanoid robot on loan from robotics startup DL-RL Incorporated. The cutting-edge robot will play a central role in advancing research in embodied artificial intelligence (AI), helping researchers develop intelligent robots capable of safely assisting people in everyday environments.
Led by Associate Professor Nilanjan Chakraborty, the IRSL research team is exploring how robots can become helpful partners in places where people live and work—including homes, hospitals, research laboratories, and nursing facilities.
What Is Embodied AI?
Unlike traditional AI systems that exist only in software, embodied AI combines artificial intelligence with a physical robot that can perceive, interact with, and respond to the real world through movement, cameras, sensors, and touch. By giving AI a physical body, researchers can teach robots to perform meaningful tasks that require both intelligence and dexterity.
At Stony Brook University, researchers are developing robots that can understand their surroundings, make decisions in real time, and safely collaborate with people in dynamic environments.
Developing Robots That Can Assist with Everyday Care
One of Professor Chakraborty's primary research goals is to teach humanoid robots to perform caretaking and assistive tasks that could improve quality of life for older adults and support healthcare professionals.
Potential applications include:
- Pouring drinks for individuals with limited mobility
- Cleaning up spills safely and efficiently
- Delivering medications to patients
- Retrieving household objects
- Assisting nurses with routine patient-care tasks
These capabilities could one day help older adults maintain their independence at home, reduce the workload of caregivers, and provide valuable assistance in healthcare settings where demand continues to grow.
Training a Humanoid Robot Is a Complex Process
Teaching a humanoid robot to complete everyday tasks involves much more than programming simple movements. The robot must learn to perceive its environment, understand what it sees, plan its actions, and execute those actions with precision.
Researchers in the Interacting Robotics Systems Laboratory are working across several areas of robotics, including:
- Dexterous robotic manipulation, designing robotic hands capable of grasping, holding, and manipulating a wide variety of objects.
- Computer vision and sensor integration, enabling the robot to identify and locate objects in the environment and understand its surroundings using cameras and advanced sensors.
- Motion planning and task planning, developing algorithms that break complex, high-level goals into smaller, manageable steps the robot can execute safely and efficiently.
Together, these technologies form the foundation of intelligent robotic systems that can adapt to real-world environments rather than relying on highly controlled settings.
Advancing the Future of Robotics at Stony Brook University
The arrival of this humanoid robot represents an important milestone for robotics research at Stony Brook University. By combining advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning, computer vision, and autonomous systems, Professor Chakraborty and the IRSL team are helping shape the next generation of robots designed to improve healthcare, assist caregivers, and support independent living.
As embodied AI continues to evolve, research like this brings us closer to a future where intelligent robots can safely and effectively work alongside people in everyday life.
Watch the Research in Action
Want to see the robot at work? Watch the video below to hear directly from members of the Interacting Robotics Systems Laboratory as they explain their research, demonstrate the humanoid robot's capabilities, and discuss how embodied AI could transform healthcare, assistive robotics, and human-robot collaboration in the years ahead.
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