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Robotics and Automation Design Lab

Texas A&M University College of Engineering
  • Ambrose6ftBall
    Dr. Rob Ambrose presents Roboball III's pendulum to donors at the Texas A&M Foundation Legacy Society Event.
  • CurrieGroundbreaking
    Dr. Nancy Currie-Gregg (Director, TAMU Space Institute) planting the Space Institute flag into the RAD Exploration Vehicle (REV) at the Space Institute Groundbreaking.
  • RIII-Family-1024×768
    The RAD Lab RoboBall family.
  • BallwRover
    The RAD Exploration Vehicle (REV) with RoboBall II atop, ready for deployment.
  • arm-on-platform-1024×768
    Robotic Space Simulator (RSS) arm interacting with Stewart Platform
  • A spherical ball robot, Roboball, operating in water. The ball is floating on the surface and has a trail indicating forward motion.
    Roboball II in its first aquatic traversal test (8/16/2023).
  • Slide97-1024×576
    RAD Exploration Vehicle (REV)
  • hemtt 2
    RAD Lab support vehicles, left to right: Polaris MRZR-D4, Oshkosh HEMTT 10x10, Polaris MRZR-D4.
  • HemttDrone
    RAD Lab support vehicles on test day: HEMTT (left) with RoboBall III on the back and Polaris MRZR (right) with RoboBall II in the rear.
  • ball_gravel
    Roboball II tests drive capabilities on gravel.
  • Staged Picture
    Roboball II's first pictures after completion on Aug. 15, 2022.
  • AmbroseRADLab-074
    RAD Lab Rover Rescue project
  • Slide82-1024×576
    RoboBall III pendulum on its test stand.

About RAD Lab

Mission Statement: Our mission is to design and deploy resilient robots tailored for harsh terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments, while fostering safe exploration and collaboration between humans and robots. We will cultivate the next generation of engineers, guiding them to usher in the next chapter of robotics.

The RAD Lab was started by Dr. Robert Ambrose in January 2022 with only 5 graduate students. As of 2024, the lab consists of 31 staff members, research engineers, and graduate students. The lab also collaborates with the Human Empowering Robotics and Control Lab (HERC) led by Dr. Gray Thomas.



The RAD Lab is affiliated with the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering (https://engineering.tamu.edu/mechanical). We currently operate out of both the James J. Cain ’51 Building and the Research Integration Center (RIC) on the RELLIS campus.

 

Want to be a part of this? Check out our postings for full-time and student positions here!

 

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