Howie Choset

Howie Choset is the Kavcic-Moura Professor of Computer Science in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, where he leads the Biorobotics Lab. His research integrates the precision of computer science with the complexities of mechanical systems, resulting in influential work on mechanism design, motion planning, and estimation for high-degree-of-freedom robots. Choset is widely recognized for pioneering the development of snake robots—flexible, highly articulated mechanisms capable of navigating confined and cluttered environments. These systems have been explored for applications in minimally invasive surgery, urban search and rescue, industrial inspection, and complex assembly tasks. His group also studies locomotion strategies, motion planners for underactuated systems, topological path planning, and scalable SLAM. Through numerous collaborations with clinicians, industry partners, and academic researchers, Choset's work bridges theoretical rigor with practical deployment. He has taught foundational robotics courses, developed new academic programs, and mentored generations of students who contribute broadly to the field of robotics.