Innovating Cutting-Edge Robotics through Collaboration

Supporting an inclusive and equitable environment for robotics research and training the next generation of successful, forward-thinking roboticists

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2026 New England Manipulation Symposium (NEMS) at UMass Amherst on June 16-17

The New England Manipulation Symposium (NEMS) held June 16-17, 2026 is an annual research symposium in the Northeast focused on robot manipulation research of all kinds, including mechanics, mechanisms, control, learning, perception, and planning. NEMS has two main goals. Registration is free and includes lunch, coffee breaks, and an evening reception. All attendees are encouraged to register in advance so we can plan accordingly.

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Research
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People
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Education
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IALS CPHM Human-Centered Robotics Thrust Area

The mission of the Human-Centered Robotics Research Thrust is to establish new and fundable interdisciplinary collaborations that innovate integrated robotics solutions to support human health, healthcare, and well-being.

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Robotics @ UMass Amherst

The Robotics @ UMass Amherst provides a unique collaborative research environment to nurture future robotics engineers with innovative ideas, broad and systematic perspectives, and a collaborative research attitude. The Cluster is supported by the Manning College of Information and Computer Science and the Riccio College of Engineering to strengthen the University’s research and teaching portfolio in this important discipline.

Compliant Robots and Structures Lab (CRSL) Dynamic and Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARoS) Lab Human-Centered Robotics Lab (HCRL) Human-Robot Systems Lab (HRSL) Mechatronics and Robotics Research Lab (MRRL) Safe, Confident, and Aligned Learning + Robotics Lab (SCALAR)

Recent News

Past News
April 15, 2026
UMass Amherst to Host New England Manipulation Symposium (NEMS) 2026

The University of Massachusetts Amherst will host the New England Manipulation Symposium (NEMS) 2026 on June 16–17, 2026, bringing together researchers from across the Northeast working in robot manipulation. The symposium focuses on topics including mechanisms, control, learning, perception, planning, and benchmarking for manipulation systems.

April 13, 2026
Rishiraj Bose Successfully Defends Ph.D. on Fluid-Based Robotic Gait Intervention

Rishiraj Bose has successfully defended his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst under the direction of Professor Frank Sup. His dissertation, A Robotic System to Exploit the Dynamics of an Unconstrained Fluid for Gait Intervention, introduces a new approach to underwater rehabilitation robotics that leverages fluid forces directly to influence human movement.

February 2, 2026
ME PhD Candidate Banu Abdikadirova Honored as a UMass Amherst Groundbreaking Graduate Student

Banu Abdikadirova, a PhD candidate in mechanical and industrial engineering in the Riccio College of Engineering and member of the Human Robot Systems Laboratory, has been named a Groundbreaking Graduate Student at UMass Amherst! This award honors master’s and doctoral students whose outstanding research, scholarship and creative activity are making a real-world impact.