Vaibhav Unhelkar

Vaibhav Unhelkar is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Rice University, part of the George R. Brown School of Engineering. He leads the Human-Centered AI and Robotics (HCAIR) group, focusing on developing AI systems that enhance human capability through collaboration. His expertise spans human-robot interaction, interactive machine learning, and human-AI collaboration. Unhelkar holds a PhD in Autonomous Systems from MIT and previously worked at X (formerly Google X). He earned undergraduate degrees from IIT Bombay in Aerospace Engineering.

Education:

• PhD in Autonomous Systems, MIT (2020)
• MS in Aeronautics & Astronautics, MIT (2015)
• BTech/MTech in Aerospace Engineering, IIT Bombay (2012)

Research Interests: Unhelkar’s work merges AI, robotics, and human factors to create systems that collaborate with humans. Key areas include human-robot teamwork in disaster response, AI coaching for surgical teams, and transparent AI systems. His lab has deployed robots in automotive factories and explores healthcare applications like robotic nurse training.

Notable Contributions:

• RW4T Dataset: Simulated disaster response human-robot interaction data
• ASTRID: Robotic tutor for healthcare training
• Received Best Video Award at AAMAS 2022 for work on autonomous agent transparency

Labs & Teams: The HCAIR group collaborates with industry and medical experts to address real-world challenges. Ongoing projects include AI-driven team training and explainable AI for medical decision-making.