WVU has a dynamic robotics ecosystem that elevates research, innovation, and student success. Rather than relying on a single shared space, specialized labs allow you to focus on development in autonomous systems, human–robot interaction, artificial intelligence integration, advanced manufacturing, and field robotics. By setting the bar high for hands-on robotics research and innovation, these labs strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, attract industry partnerships, support ambitious capstone projects that mirror real-world engineering challenges — preparing students to lead in the rapidly evolving robotics industry.
Field and Aerial Robotics Lab
In the FARO lab, researchers work on interdisciplinary research projects developing autonomous robots that drive and fly in unknown and unstructured environments.
Indoor Motion Capture Lab
This lab features a 30-camera infrared camera-based motion capture system to provide real-time accurate pose estimation of robots and drones for testing. The testing volume includes a terrain pit for testing robot mobility systems.Interactive Robotics Lab
IRL builds real robots and tests them in challenging environments. Their projects range from robotic pollination to planetary exploration and aviation safety.
Robotics Manipulators Lab
The Robotics Manipulators Lab is used for industrial robotics courses and research on robotic manipulation. It features several state-of-the-art robotic arms, several of which are collaborative robots (co-bots) allowing for human-robot interaction.Mechatronics Lab
This instructional lab for undergraduate mechatronics courses focuses on sensing, actuation, control, and microcontrollers. Students integrate sensing and control on a small autonomous rover.
Critical Infrastructures Lab:
Features a realistic scaled model of WVU’s Personal Rapid Transit system, transportation, manufacturing, power system, programmable logic controller, and AI control. Used for teaching programmable logic controller security, control, and critical infrastructure cybersecurity.
Intelligent Cyber Physical Systems Lab (F1Tenth)
Focuses on research in machine learning, computer vision, and sensor fusion. Advances the development of intelligent, safe, and secure robotic and cyber-physical systems through cutting-edge AI technologies and real-world applications.
Mobile Robotics Lab
The Mobile Robotics Lab focuses on the fundamentals of mobile robotics, including navigation, estimation, path planning, and manipulation. Students perform labs and conduct a semester design project using an educational robot that can be programmed to conduct autonomous missions.
Robiotics lab
This lab focuses on biomimetic and biohybrid robotics, robotic manufacturing, and the engineering of living materials, all are aimed at creating lifelike soft robots. You will utilize fundamental biological principles to emulate the morphology, behaviors, and materials found in nature, transforming these insights into practical and functional robotic designs.
Neuro-Mechanical Intelligence Lab
NeuroMInt is developing walking robots that will help humans traverse extreme terrains and better understand how humans control their locomotion.
Navigation Lab
In this lab, you will focus on autonomous navigation issues to offer better accuracy in the face of challenging conditions. Navigation research explores optimal estimation, multi-sensor fusion, multi-robot coordination, and signal processing — to inform robots of their environment, how to move safely autonomously.