Robotics for Good
photographs by James T. Giffen
n the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, first responders worked tirelessly for nine months to execute rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero. The World Trade Center Health Program reports that more first responders and survivors have died from toxic exposure at the crash site than were lost in the attacks. Still far more developed serious long-term health issues.
This reality profoundly impacted Sean O’Connor ’26. His father was one of the first responders who helped evacuate buildings on the day of the attack. For three years following 9/11, he worked just half a block from the disaster site. He developed cancer from the exposure.
O’Connor’s dad is now in remission, but the experience sparked the student’s desire to develop a better way to handle such catastrophes. “Imagine sending in a robot that could have detected remains or cleared wreckage — done the things that people were doing,” says the computer science & engineering major from Miller Place, N.Y. “Robots have the potential to make a huge impact on society.”
O’Connor carried his mission into his college search, sharing his interest with Professor Felipe Perrone, computer science, during an Admitted Student Day event. “He invited me to join his research lab the day I met him. I didn’t think he was serious,” says O’Connor. “But when I arrived on campus to start classes, he asked me to join a research meeting, and I’ve been working with him ever since.”
The pair’s work goes beyond designing and building robots; they are exploring the nuanced field of human-robot interaction (HRI). Perrone advocated for O’Connor to be able to take advanced courses usually reserved for juniors and seniors so he could rapidly build an academic foundation to support his research (see “Technically Speaking,” below).
But something was missing. They envisioned a broader opportunity for students interested in human-robot relationships — a space to exchange ideas, share theories and openly discuss the full scope, significance, function and potential of HRI.
RoboLab launched in spring 2023, bringing together a diverse group of curious students for weekly meetings. The lab has a simple goal: to cultivate discussion about the impact of robots on society.
As a multidisciplinary field, HRI covers a wide range of topics, including philosophy, psychology, sociology, engineering, physics and computer science. It presents challenges and opportunities, from the ethical considerations of human-robot relationships to the technical aspects of designing and programming robots for specific tasks.
By creating RoboLab, Perrone and O’Connor identified a unique opportunity to combine the broad appeal of a niche topic with the potential for deep exploration.
Perrone provides academic articles and resources on various use-case examinations of HRI and encourages members to lead group discussions. They’ve tackled conversations spanning from the human-robot relationships in Star Wars to Japanese robot cafes to the limits of comfort with robotic forms. Each week, Perrone has watched as new leaders have emerged, engaged with topics that excite them. As the lab has grown, the group has discussed new software and technology, the ease of working with commercially available robotic machines and the role of programmers and designers in making robots more accessible — and this is where O’Connor found the insights he had been seeking.
O’Connor’s independent work is with NAO6, a programmable humanoid robot. “There has been a lot of great progress on designing and building robots that can take on tasks like search-and-rescue efforts,” he says. “But when it comes to being able to program those robots — to be able to deliver them to, say, a fire station with an easy-to-use interface to get the work done — there is still so much ground that needs to be covered, both in terms of ethics and functionality.”
Perrone acknowledges O’Connor’s central role in RoboLab’s growth and credits much of its success to his dedication and leadership. Together, they continue to explore the vast potential and challenges of HRI, driven by a shared commitment to harnessing technology for the greater good.
