The NYU Tandon School of Engineering has officially introduced the Center for Robotics and Embodied Intelligence in Downtown Brooklyn, signaling a major step forward in robotics and physical artificial intelligence research on the East Coast. The initiative forms a central part of NYU’s long-term investment of more than $1,000 million aimed at strengthening engineering education and global scientific leadership.
Operating from NYU Tandon’s expanding Brooklyn campus, the center is overseen by Juan de Pablo, NYU’s Executive Vice President for Global Science and Technology. The new hub is designed to bring together experts from multiple disciplines to explore how intelligent machines can learn, adapt, and interact more naturally with the physical world.
According to de Pablo, the fusion of artificial intelligence and robotics is unlocking transformative possibilities for industry and society. He emphasized that the center will function as a collaborative space where innovation, experimentation, and discovery converge at the cutting edge of embodied AI research.
A key founding co-director of the center is Lerrel Pinto, an assistant professor of computer science at NYU’s Courant Institute. The Indian American researcher plays a central role in shaping the center’s vision, alongside co-directors Ludovic Righetti and Chen Feng. Together, they lead a diverse research community of more than 70 faculty members, researchers, and students working on next-generation robotic systems.
The center’s research infrastructure spans approximately 10,000 square feet of shared laboratory space at Tandon. This includes a 6,800 square foot flagship robotics lab designed for advanced experimentation, as well as an additional 2,200 square foot facility dedicated to large-scale, multi-robot testing. The layout is intentionally designed to encourage close, daily collaboration across engineering, computer science, and AI disciplines.
Chen Feng noted that the goal is to position both NYU Tandon and New York City as a nationally recognized destination for robotics innovation, expanding the conversation beyond traditional West Coast hubs. Faculty affiliated with the center have already secured over $30 million in research funding, supported by partnerships with leading technology companies such as NVIDIA, Google, Amazon, and Qualcomm.
In addition to research, NYU Tandon is breaking new academic ground by introducing the first Master of Science program in Robotics and Embodied Intelligence in the United States, reinforcing its commitment to training the next generation of robotics leaders.
