By David Graff, and Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication and Public Affairs. 
Photos: AAU

There was great excitement when researchers at AAU’s robotics laboratory recently welcomed a new resident: TIAGO Pro – an advanced, humanoid robot.

TIAGO Pro has moved in at AAU as part of the interdisciplinary research project SAPIENT, which aims to investigate and develop intelligent robotic behavior through advanced simulations and environmental interaction.

“This robot will enable groundbreaking research in pharmaceutical settings, smart manufacturing, assistive robotics, autonomous and safe mobile navigation, and even artistic installations,” says Associate Professor Dimitris Chrysostomou, who leads the project.

Research Across Four AAU Departments

The SAPIENT project brings together researchers from four different departments at AAU: Materials and Production, Health Science and Technology, Electronic Systems, and the Department of Communication and Psychology.

The researchers will work closely together to develop methods that enable the robot to navigate safely and autonomously in complex environments—and to collaborate with both humans and other machines.

“We bring together expertise from engineering, psychology, communication, and health to explore how robots learn and adapt in practice,” says Dimitris Chrysostomou.