Siebel School of Computing and Data Science Robotics Lab Space

Siebel School of Computing and Data Science Shared Robotics Lab

The Siebel School Robotics Lab is a shared facility used by multiple robotics research groups within the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The lab consists of three dedicated rooms for robotics research and teaching, covering a combined area of 2,584 square feet. These spaces provide faculty and students with advanced robotics equipment and specialized environments to perform high-impact research, while also serving as an educational resource to train the next generation of robotics researchers.

Dedicated Research Spaces

Robotic Manipulation Research – Room 1103 SC (793 sq ft)

This space supports high-impact research in dexterous manipulation, collaborative robotics, and human–robot interaction. Current equipment includes:

  • Manipulators: Three UFactory xArm manipulators (two 6-DOF and one 7-DOF).
  • Bimanual manipulators: Trossen Robotics ALOHA robot kit, designed for fine manipulation and contact-rich tasks.
  • End effectors: Soft grippers, vacuum grippers, and multi-fingered Leap Hands.
  • Cameras and vision systems: Intel RealSense and Femto Bolt cameras for perception tasks.
  • Supporting resources: Computing stations and supply areas to facilitate experiments and system integration.
Room 1103 view 1 Room 1103 view 2

Smart-Home and Mobile Robot Research – Room 1105 SC (1,094 sq ft)

This space supports research on autonomous navigation and assistive robotics, currently including:

  • Open space: Over 600 square feet for mobile robot navigation and human–robot interaction scenarios.
  • Smart kitchen: Fully equipped with sink, dishwasher, refrigerator, counter space, rolling cabinet, and kitchen table.
  • VR/AR/XR research: Two Meta Quest 3 headsets for immersive human–robot interaction studies in safe virtual settings, with spacious layout for untethered experiments.
  • Knitting Machine: A Shima Seiki SWG 092 N2 programmable knitting machine for producing patches with embedded circuits, enabling customizable sensing and wearable interfaces.
Room 1105 view 1 Room 1105 view 2

Dedicated Teaching Spaces

Robotics Teaching Lab – Room 1131 SC (697 sq ft)

This lab is used for robotics courses, student projects, and hands-on instruction. It provides a flexible environment where students can experiment directly with robotic systems, reinforcing classroom concepts through practical experience.

Contact

Irving Solis
Email: juanis@illinois.edu
Office: 4215 Siebel Center
Tel: 217-848-0921