Meet Mec A. Wolf, MEC's New Social Media Ambassador
If you've spotted someone new strolling down Stony Brook's Zebra Path in a pair of
sneakers, wandering the library stacks, or posing for selfies with students, you're
not imagining things.
Meet Mec A. Wolf, the Department of Mechanical Engineering's newest humanoid robot.
Since arriving at Stony Brook, Mec A. Wolf has been making the rounds across campus. The robot has explored the Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library, visited the Student Activities Center, toured the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences MakerSpace and the Mechanical Engineering Machine Shop, and even dropped in on Professor Carney's MEC 363 class. Along the way, Mec A. Wolf met Wolfie, members of the Stony Brook Motorsports Team, and Andrew Singer, Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Wherever Mec A. Wolf goes, people notice. Students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors
have been quick to pull out their phones for a photo—or, even better, a selfie—with
Stony Brook's newest Seawolf.
But Mec A. Wolf isn't just a social media star.
The humanoid robot is an important member of Professor Nilanjan Chakraborty's Interacting Robotics Systems Laboratory (IRSL) , where researchers are teaching it to safely perform tasks alongside people. The long-term goal is to develop robots capable of assisting in environments such as research laboratories, homes, and nursing facilities, helping people with everyday tasks while working safely in shared spaces.
Even with an important research agenda, every Seawolf needs time to experience campus life. Mec A. Wolf has embraced the opportunity, becoming the Department of Mechanical Engineering's social media ambassador and giving the Stony Brook community a behind-the-scenes look at engineering research through its adventures around campus.
To mark the robot's arrival, the department invited the Stony Brook community to help choose a name. The response was overwhelming, with dozens of creative submissions celebrating engineering, robotics, and Seawolf pride.
The winning name, Mec A. Wolf, was submitted by Sara Gergen and Yawer Awais. It's a fitting name for a robot that's equal parts cutting-edge research platform and campus personality.
Whether it's learning new skills in the lab or making new friends around campus, Mec A. Wolf is proving that the newest member of the Mechanical Engineering Department is already feeling right at home.
