Buzz
The future of robotics shines brightly, as evidenced by the remarkable achievements of these women. They've driven significant advancements in the field, from creating robots capable of navigating difficult landscapes to those designed to engage in meaningful conversations and even integrate seamlessly into everyday life. These nine exceptional women offer a glimpse into the innovations we can expect from tomorrow's robots.
1. CYNTHIA BREAZEAL
Cynthia Breazeal envisions a future where robots possess outstanding social abilities. In 2014, she launched a crowdfunding campaign for Jibo, a home robot built to interact with humans in a natural way. The project quickly gained traction, and in April, Jibo won a Popular Science 2016 Invention Award. When she’s not designing robots that rival Pixar characters, Breazeal teaches media arts and sciences at MIT. In 2010, she delivered a TED talk sharing her vision for robots, with Star Wars serving as a key source of inspiration.
2. LYDIA E. KAVRAKI
Before robots can tackle complex tasks like analyzing Martian soil or taking pizza orders, they must be capable of precise movement. This is where Dr. Lydia E. Kavraki steps in. As the Noah Harding Professor of Computer Science and Bioengineering at Rice University, Kavraki is renowned for her work in robot path planning. She developed the Probabilistic Roadmap Method (PRM), a system that helps prevent robot collisions by using randomization and sampling techniques in motion planning. Praised for its elegance, the PRM was a groundbreaking advancement in robotics. Her book, Principles of Robot Motion, delves deep into the topic. Kavraki has earned numerous awards, including the ACM Grace Murray Hopper Award, an NSF CAREER Award, and a Sloan Fellowship.
3. FEI-FEI LI
When discussing the future of robotics, artificial intelligence is a critical factor. One of the leading figures in this area is Fei-Fei Li, an associate professor in Stanford’s computer science department and the director of its Artificial Intelligence and Vision laboratories. Li believes that the foundation of effective AI is giving robots smart vision. This involves creating robots that can understand and respond to images, not just record them as a camera would. Vision is one of the most intricate human cognitive processes, and Li has made significant progress in adapting it to machines. In 2014, she and her team developed a computer vision model that could describe images using human-like language. Li envisions this technology being applied to diverse fields, including healthcare and self-driving vehicles.
4. ANDREA THOMAZ
Fifty years ago, The Jetsons envisioned a future where robot maids would handle mundane household chores. While this dream has not fully materialized, Andrea Thomaz is making strides toward it. As a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Thomaz is working on robots that can complete tasks based on verbal instructions instead of pre-programmed commands. This would empower users, regardless of technical expertise, to program personal robots to do nearly anything. Her work with social robots, such as “Simon” and “Curi,” has earned recognition in Popular Science, The New York Times, and NOVA Science Now.
5. RUTH SCHULZ
What would a conversation between two robots sound like? If you imagine a series of “beep-boop-bops,” you're on the right track. A few years ago, cognitive scientist Ruth Schulz led a team at the University of Queensland to create a pair of “lingodroids.” Instead of talking to humans, these robots communicate with each other. Their conversations are basic, with the robots inventing words to discuss concepts like their location and destination. “The key is that they are creating these concepts, understanding the meaning of words, and it’s all happening autonomously,” Schulz shared with ABC Science in 2011. Currently, she’s researching human cues for robot navigation at the University of Queensland.
6. AYANNA HOWARD
Ayanna Howard has an impressive career: she served as a scientific consultant on Robocop (2014), was named one of MIT Technology Review's top young innovators in 2003, and has co-authored numerous papers, earning her an Erdős number of four. Much of her groundbreaking work took place at NASA, where she collaborated with Penn State researchers to develop a fleet of miniature snowmobiles. These “SnoMotes” were designed to explore harsh Arctic and Antarctic terrains, enabling scientists to study climate change in locations too dangerous for human exploration. “The robots could act as ‘mobile weather stations,’ providing real-time data from the exact locations where changes are happening,” Howard explained to NASA in 2008. Today, she’s an award-winning professor at Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
7. AYORKOR KORSAH
Ayorkor Korsah is determined to share her passion for robotics with the entire African continent. In 2012, she co-founded the African Robotics Network, a global community of institutions, individuals, and organizations committed to sharing robotics resources and supporting each other’s efforts. This group frequently organizes projects, meetings, and events both within Africa and internationally. In addition to her outreach, Korsah is also making a lasting impact on the next generation of roboticists in Africa through her teaching. She is a professor at Ashesi University in Ghana, where she leads the computer science and robotics department.
8. STÉPHANIE LACOUR
While many robots are equipped with arms, legs, and faces, one feature that is often missing is skin. Professor Stéphanie Lacour specializes in developing smart skin for robots. She has dedicated much of her career to creating electronic skin that can detect even the slightest pressures and stretch without losing its functionality. A particularly exciting application of this technology lies in prosthetics, where it could help amputees regain the sensation of touch in artificial limbs. Lacour is currently advancing her research on soft bioelectronics at the School of Engineering at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland.
9. MARITA CHENG
Marita Cheng began her journey into robotics as an undergraduate at Melbourne University in Australia, where she was one of five women in a class of more than 50 men. During this time, she co-founded Robogals, an initiative aimed at encouraging young girls to pursue engineering and robotics by organizing student-run workshops worldwide. After playing a pivotal role in establishing this successful nonprofit, Cheng didn’t stop there. Five years later, she launched 2MAR robotics, a company dedicated to creating technology that assists people with disabilities. One of their first innovations was a voice-activated bionic arm named “Jeva,” designed to assist quadriplegics. Their latest product, Teleport, is a rolling video screen designed to help people with mobility challenges communicate.
