Michael A. Peshkin

Michael A. Peshkin is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Murphy Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Murphy Institute, and holds the Allen K. and Johnnie Cordell Breed Senior Professor in Design title. He is affiliated with the Master of Science in Robotics Program and the Segal Design Institute as their Engineering Education Lead (2021-). His work spans robotics, haptics, and voting accessibility research.

Education:

• Ph.D. Physics, Carnegie Mellon University (1987)
• M.S. Experimental Solid State Physics, Cornell University (1982)
• B.A. Physics, University of Chicago (1979)

Research interests focus on surface haptics (e.g., electroadhesion-based tactile feedback), collaborative robots (cobots), and bioinspired electrosense. He also advocates for democracy through voting accessibility initiatives, studying how long polling lines disproportionately affect minority voters. His innovations include the TPaD haptic surface and spin-offs like Tanvas (2010) for tactile interfaces and Mako Surgical Corp (1995) for robotic surgery tools.

Publications reflect a strong emphasis on haptic technologies and robotic safety. Notable trends include advancing electroadhesive surfaces, optimizing texture rendering, and exploring human-robot interaction dynamics. His work on cobots has addressed both industrial applications and healthcare rehabilitation.

• Scientific Awards:
• ASEE Ralph Coats Roe National Educator Award (2017)
• Fellow, National Academy of Inventors (2014)
• Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence (2011–2014)

Teaching contributions include pioneering Electronics Design and Engineering Analysis 3, emphasizing hands-on learning via portable labs. He advises on mechatronics projects and co-founded companies like Cobotics and Kinea Design. His research teams collaborate across disciplines, integrating robotics with biosystems and educational outreach.