Jing Xiao

Jing Xiao is a Professor and Department Head of Robotics Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). She also serves as the Site Director of NSF I/UCRC ROSE-HUB and leads the AIR Lab. Her research spans robotics, haptics, multi-modal perception, and AI, focusing on contact interaction and real-time adaptiveness in dynamic environments.

• Education: PhD in Computer, Information, and Control Engineering (1990), MS (1985), and BS in Physics and Electrical Engineering (1983) from Beijing Normal University.

Her work integrates robotics with artificial intelligence to address challenges in compliant motion planning, continuum manipulation, and real-time adaptive motion planning (RAMP). Recent publications highlight advancements in autonomous robotic assembly, human-robot collaboration, and 3D coverage path planning.

Scientific recognition includes IEEE Fellow and the William B. Smith Distinguished Fellowship. She contributed to the award-winning Handbook of Robotics, which received two PROSE Awards from the American Association of Publishers.

Her research involves interdisciplinary collaboration, including a $3M NSF grant for human-robot interaction studies. She mentors students like PhD candidate Alexandra Valiton and collaborates across departments, including Computer Science and Electrical & Computer Engineering.