معرفی
Emre Ugur is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Engineering at Bogazici University, where he serves as the head of the Cognition, Learning and Robotics (CoLoRs) laboratory. His research focuses on bridging the gap between continuous sensorimotor experiences and discrete symbolic representations in robotics. Funded by major international sources including the European Commission's Horizon 2020 program and TUBITAK, his work has significant implications for cognitive robotics and autonomous systems.
Education:
- PhD in Computer Engineering from Middle East Technical University (METU, Turkey)
Ugur's research interests center on cognitive and developmental approaches to robotics, with particular emphasis on neuro-symbolic integration, affordance learning, and symbol emergence. His work explores how robots can autonomously develop high-level cognitive capabilities through continuous interaction with their environment, similar to human cognitive development. His approach combines machine learning, cognitive science, and robotics to create systems that can learn, predict, and reason about their actions.
His recent publications reveal a strong trajectory toward neuro-symbolic robotics, where he develops methods for extracting discrete symbolic representations from continuous sensorimotor experiences. This work enables robots to perform complex planning and reasoning tasks while maintaining connection to physical reality. There is also significant focus on social robotics, particularly in human-robot interaction, social navigation, and embodied cognition.
Scientific Awards:
- The Young Scientist Award by the Science Academy (BAGEP)
- The Excellence in Teaching Award by the Faculty of Engineering (2023)
As Principal Investigator of major projects including INVERSE (EU Horizon 2025), DEEPPLAN (TUBITAK), and previously DEEPSYM and IMAGINE, Ugur has established a robust research program that bridges theoretical advances with practical applications. He has supervised numerous PhD and Master's students who have made significant contributions to the field. His leadership extends to organizing major workshops at top robotics conferences including IROS, RSS, and ICRA.
At the Cognition, Learning and Robotics (CoLoRs) lab, Ugur leads research on cognitive robotics, developmental robotics, and neuro-symbolic AI. The lab explores fundamental questions about how robots can develop understanding of their actions, learn from interaction, and form abstract representations necessary for high-level cognition. Current projects focus on symbolic reasoning, prediction, and planning in robotic systems.
