Deepak Pathak, an assistant professor in Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute, has received a 2022 Okawa Research Grant to continue his work to improve how robots function in the wild.

Pathak was one of seven professors in the U.S. to receive the prestigious grant from the Okawa Foundation for Information and Telecommunications. The foundation awarded 33 total grants to professors in the U.S., South Korea, China and Japan.

Much of Pathak's research has focused on making robots adaptable to real-world environments. His work with legged robots has enabled them to maneuver across nearly any terrain, climb high stairs and clamber over obstacles. He has also demonstrated novel ways to teach robots tasks, including having mobile manipulators learn from watching humans or even YouTube videos. 

Learn more about Pathak's work on his website. Visit the Okawa Foundation's website for more information about the research grants.