Russ Tedrake

Russ Tedrake is the Toyota Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Mechanical Engineering at MIT. He directs the Center for Robotics at CSAIL and leads MIT's DARPA Robotics Challenge team. Additionally, he serves as Senior Vice President of Robotics Research at Toyota Research Institute (TRI). His work focuses on control solutions for complex dynamical systems, integrating mechanics, optimization, and machine learning for robotic manipulation.

Education:

• B.S.E. in Computer Engineering, University of Michigan (1999)
• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT (2004)
• Postdoctoral Associate, MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department

Research Interests: Tedrake’s research emphasizes elegant control strategies for underactuated and stochastic systems. Key areas include robust control design using non-smooth mechanics, merging systems theory with machine learning, and developing tools like the Drake software framework for simulation and analysis. His team explores topics such as contact-rich manipulation, trajectory optimization, and real-time motion planning.

Notable Contributions: Tedrake’s group develops algorithms for dexterous robotics, including tactile sensing with GelSight sensors and high-speed manipulation strategies. The Drake toolbox is widely used for robotics simulation and control.

Awards:

• 2024 MIT School of Engineering Distinguished Educator Award
• NSF CAREER Award
• Multiple teaching awards, including the 2021 Jamieson Teaching Award

Labs & Projects: Leads the Robot Locomotion Group at CSAIL, which studies agile robotics. Active in TRI’s research on autonomous vehicles and industrial robotics.