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Research Interests

I am interested in finding elegant control solutions for interesting (underactuated, stochastic, and/or difficult to model) dynamical systems that I can build and experiment with. I'm particularly interested in finding connections between mechanics (especially non-smooth mechanics) and optimization theory which enable formal analysis and control design for complex mechanical systems. These days I am primarily interested in bringing the rigor of systems theory to robot manipulation. Please see the description of the Robot Locomotion Group for more information.

 

Teaching

Spring terms: 6.8210 - Underactuated Robotics (formerly 6.832)

• Course notes (asymptotically converging towards a textbook)
• Video lectures on YouTube

Fall terms: 6.4210 - Robotic Manipulation (formerly 6.800)

• Course notes (draft textbook)
• Video lectures on YouTube

 

Software

Drake -- a C++/Python toolbox for simulation and optimization-based design/analysis of complex dynamical systems (esp. robots).

 

Biography

Russ is the Toyota Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Mechanical Engineering at MIT. Russ is also the Senior Vice President of Large Behavior Models at the Toyota Research Institute. He is a recipient of the 2024 MIT School of Engineering Distinguished Educator Award, the 2024 MIT EECS Digital Innovation Award, the 2023 MIT Teaching with Digital Technology Award, the 2021 Jamieson Teaching Award, the NSF CAREER Award, the MIT Jerome Saltzer Award for undergraduate teaching, the DARPA Young Faculty Award in Mathematics, the 2012 Ruth and Joel Spira Teaching Award, and was named a Microsoft Research New Faculty Fellow. He was the leader of Team MIT's entry in the DARPA Robotics Challenge.

Russ received his B.S.E. in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1999, and his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT in 2004, working with Sebastian Seung. After graduation, he joined the MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department as a Postdoctoral Associate. During his education, he has also spent time at Microsoft, Microsoft Research, and the Santa Fe Institute.

Curriculum Vitae: pdf ( 81K).