The ALPHA Laboratory

UC Berkeley's Alpha Lab is a center for research in automation and robotics. Our primary focus is efficient geometric algorithms for Feeding, Fixturing and Grasping. Research in automated manufacuting is needed now to make the high precision, rapidly evolving products of the future. Key issues are reducing set up times and costs while increasing precision and reliability. The overall goal of our research is to establish a science base for automated assembly by analyzing its basic components.

We also study Surgery Planning, where the objective is to model deformable human tissues and plan placements of radioactive seeds.

We are also active in research on Internet-Based Collaborative Telerobotics, where we develop algorithms and systems that optimize allocation of a single robotic resource among many online users.

The Alpha Lab in 1169 Etcheverry Hall is directed by IEOR Professor Ken Goldberg (with joint appointment in EECS). Currently four PhD students and eight undergraduates work in the lab. For more information visit: http://alpha.ieor.berkeley.edu/