IHMC celebrates National Robotics Week with open house on April 6

It’s time to get your peek behind the curtain.  

On April 6, Florida IHMC is inviting the public to meet Nadia, Valkyrie, Eva, Mini Cheetah, Wasp and the humans behind them in celebration of National Robotics Week. 

From 3 to 7 p.m. on April 6, 2023, researchers at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition will welcome the public and students for tours, walk-throughs and inspiration on the Pensacola campus on South Alcaniz Street. The last tour begins at 7 p.m. 

The family-friendly event encourages scientific discovery through hands-on activities, challenges, and demonstrations while providing the opportunity to learn about IHMC’s work from in-house researchers and educators. 

Visitors will be able to see IHMC researchers and their work in drones, robotics, virtual reality experiences, human performance research projects, data visualization, and more.  

 The MESS Hall, Pensacola’s hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math museum, also will be on hand with traveling exhibits.  

It will be IHMC’s first open house on campus since 2019.  

“To show our support for the community who has supported us so much in the past, we want to highlight all the technology that has been developed and grown right here in Pensacola,” said Dr. Robert Griffin, the research scientist at IHMC who leads the robotics group.  

“We couldn’t think of a better way to do this than to open our doors on National Robotics Week and share with others what we do. It’s our hope that people find our work interesting, inspiring, and educational,” Griffin said. 

Established by Congress in 2010 to raise awareness about robots and their important role in shaping the future of education, industry, and the U.S. economy, National Robotics Week brings together students, educators, and influencers who share a passion for robots and technology. 

This year’s event also features tours of the lab space that houses the Healthspan, Resilience, and Performance team, as well as some highlights of their research.  

Dr. Marcas Bamman, the senior research scientist who leads the HRP team, said visitors will be able to see the cutting-edge core laboratories used for clinical and biological research. That includes research in cognition and perception, neuromuscular function, cardiorespiratory function, body composition, clinical research unit, and more.  

* IHMC has begun construction of a new research facility on the corner of Alcaniz Street and Garden Street and parking may be limited. Please have patience and plan to arrive early to find available street parking. 

 

IHMC is a not-for-profit research institute of the Florida University System where researchers pioneer science and technology aimed at leveraging and extending human capabilities. IHMC researchers and staff collaborate extensively with the government, industry and academia to help develop breakthrough technologies. IHMC research partners have included: DARPA, the National Science Foundation, NASA, Army, Navy, Air Force, National Institutes of Health, IBM, Microsoft, Honda, Boeing, Lockheed, and many others.