The Robotics Lab at Appalachian State University is dedicated to fostering
innovative research, hands‑on learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Our mission is to develop intelligent robotic systems that improve lives and
address real‑world challenges by integrating artificial intelligence, machine
learning, and human‑robot interaction.
Founded in 2025, the lab serves as a hub for innovation and collaboration within
the Department of Computer Science.
We welcome partners from various universities and industries to advance the state
of the art in robotics and inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists.
Latest updates from the Robotics Lab
Molly recently completed a major achievement by successfully defending her thesis, titled: "Cross-Platform Localization Framework for Mobile Robots". We are proud of her dedication and hard work, grateful for the meaningful impact she has had on our group, and excited to see all that she will accomplish in the next stage of her professional journey.
Zach and Michael presented their latest research at the OSR Student Research and Creative Activities event, highlighting innovative work in robotics and AI. Their presentations demonstrated the impact of graduate research in advancing intelligent systems and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Michael successfully defended his thesis on March 27, titled “MLPSEMBLE: A MLP-Based Ensemble Network,” marking an important milestone in his academic journey. We warmly congratulate him on this achievement, thank him for his valuable contributions to our group, and wish him continued success in his future career and endeavors.
Robotics Lab Showcases Interactive Demonstration at STEAM Expo 2026: Discover Your Future! for Middle and High School Students in Western North Carolina.
Congratulations to Nathan on the acceptance of his paper "Deployment-Oriented Benchmarking of Open-Source Large Language Models for Social Robots" at the ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human–Robot Interaction (HRI)—the premier conference in robotics.
Congratulations to Molly on receiving an Undergraduate Research Assistantship (URA) award for Spring 2026, approved by Appalachian State University’s Office of Student Research. This award recognizes her initiative and strong commitment to undergraduate research in our lab.
We are proud to congratulate Michael on being selected as a finalist in Appalachian State University’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. This achievement places him among the top nine competitors university-wide and reflects the high quality of his research and presentation skills. Congratulations to Michael on this well-deserved recognition!
Click on each area to learn more
Enhancing communication and collaboration between humans and machines.
Robots that support rehabilitation and improve accessibility.
Applied machine learning techniques for perception and control in robotics.
Developing machine learning algorithms for biomedical data and healthcare applications.
Robotics Lab Director
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science
Appalachian State University
Email: [email protected]
Website
Graduate Student
Zach works on humanoid robot research related to education, developing systems that support student learning and engagement.
Graduate Student
Michael is a graduate student developing advanced AI models for bioinformatics and single‑cell data analysis, applying machine learning to uncover biological insights.
Graduate Student
John works on humanoid robot research related to autistic children, developing systems that support social communication and therapeutic interactions.
Undergraduate Student
Molly is an undergraduate student focusing on robotics and enhanced movement, designing mechanisms and control systems to achieve more agile and responsive robots.
Undergraduate Student
Nathan is an undergraduate student working on robotics and large language models (LLMs), exploring how AI‑powered communication can enhance robotic capabilities.
Email: [email protected]
Address: Anne Belk Hall, Robotics Lab, Room 312N‑2
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608