Ross A. Knepper

About

I am a technical leader who solves the hardest problems in robotics and autonomy. My passion is to build robot systems that help people solve real problems in their lives. I am particularly drawn to systems-level problems because their solutions often require cross-functional knowledge, collaboration, and conflict resolution. I thrive in high-ambiguity situations and especially enjoy the intersection of people and tech.

Leadership. My leadership style emphasizes clear communication of a compelling vision to the teams in my charge and granting them the autonomy and inspiration to connect the overall vision to their own personal vision as it relates to their area of expertise. Workers who form and follow their own vision are intrinsically motivated to do their best, most creative work. Many of the highest-impact outcomes originate in the spark of an idea from an individual contributor. My role is to nourish that spark into a great flame.

Research. I am an internationally-recognized intellectual leader in the robotics research community. I built top research and development teams in human-robot interaction (HRI) at two institutions. This topic is of crucial importance when delivering robot intelligence to everyday people; many people struggle to adapt to robots, so we must instead program robots to adapt to their users' needs. My expertise also extends to robot motion planning, motion control, and multi-robot algorithms. My research has led to a variety of awards and speaking invitations at conferences and universities around the world.

Featured Robot

Bluebell is a prototype autonomous mobile robot that transports large and heavy packages in an Amazon warehouse.