News

October 2025

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  KAUST’s new Robotics Bay advances the Kingdom’s robotics and AI capabilities

  1 min read · Sun, Oct 19 2025

  News Clip Press Releases

  robotics Aerial Robotics Autonomous system Marine Robotics agricultural robotics saudi vision 2030

  KAUST launches the Robotics Bay — a 1,000 m² facility advancing Saudi Arabia’s robotics and AI innovation under Vision 2030.

January 2024

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  2023 SRSI Students at RISC Lab

  1 min read · Sun, Jan 28 2024

  News

  During the past summer, our dedicated team at the RISC Lab participated in the prestigious annual program organized by the Saudi Research Science Institute. This enriching experience saw us hosting three exceptionally talented high-school students from Saudi Arabia, who embarked on an immersive six-week core research program. Under the expert guidance of RISC Lab faculty, Prof. Eric Feron and Prof. Shinkyu Park, each student was paired with a mentor to provide support throughout their laboratory work and in-depth project discussions. The research projects undertaken were as follows: Projects:

May 2023

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  KG-3 Students from The KAUST School vist RISC Lab

  1 min read · Mon, May 22 2023

  News

  On May 18, 2023, KG-3 students (Ms. Fabiana's class) from TKS had the opportunity to visit the KAUST Robotics, Intelligent Systems, and Control (RISC) Lab. During the visit, the lab members Kuat Telegenov, Mohammed Aldosari, Nawaf Alotaibi, and Obadah Wali gave the students a tour of the lab. First, the students received an introduction to the basic concepts of robotics. They learned about the different components that constitute a robot, such as sensors, actuators, and controllers. Additionally, the students learned about the different types of robots, including drones, manipulators, 3D
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  RISC Lab members mentor winners of the Regional MATEROV competition

  1 min read · Mon, May 22 2023

  News

  The very first MATE Red Sea ROV Competition in Saudi Arabia happened in March 2023! Six Scout and two Ranger teams competed as part of the MATE ROV COMPETITION network. The Reef Rovers team from The KAUST School, mentored by the RISC Lab members Nawaf Alotaibi and Majef Al Shamrani, won the first prize in the Ranger class. The team will now participate in the International MATEROV competition in June! The MATE ROV Competition is an underwater robotics (also known as remotely operated vehicle or ROV) challenge that engages a global community of learners each year. This year, the MATE ROV
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  Professor Feron chaired Panel Discussion titled: Exploring the Potential of Advanced Air Mobility for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

  1 min read · Mon, May 22 2023

  News

  KROW

  Research Open Week is a unique forum for a broader discussion providing networking opportunities to faculty, research staff, and colleagues from industry and government entities. National and International experts from leading organizations in the areas of energy, water, environment, food and health, and the digital domain. The forum showcased how research at KAUST is contributing, and helping to shape the Kingdom's future through education, community engagement, and scientific investigation. Throughout the week, KAUST researchers presented science and engineering research highlights in

February 2023

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  RISC Lab member at the ISEF 2023 Selection Workshop

  1 min read · Mon, Feb 20 2023

  News

  Following the continuous effort and support previously provided by RISC to SRSI students, Ibrahim Alsalamah - RISC lab member and mentor - participated in the selection workshop aimed at helping young researchers prepare for the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2023. The workshop supports and guides young researchers on their projects and preparation to present them at ISEF. The workshop was hosted by Mishkat Interactive Center in Riyadh and organized by King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity ( Mawhiba). During the workshop, the students
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  RISC Lab members mentor winners of the Space2101 Challenge

  1 min read · Sun, Feb 12 2023

  News

  KAUST hosted 200 talented students from grades 7th to 9th, to participate in the Space 2101 Camp. This globally recognized program allows the students to discover the future of space exploration with hands-on activities and learning about innovation, mental health, and STEM skills. From February 5th to 9th, the students had the opportunity to meet and work with Susan Kilrain, Charles Gemar, and Daniel Tani, three astronauts from NASA, and Dr. Sian Proctor, an astronaut from SpaceX Inspiration4. A week full of talks, workshops, and hands-on activities. The students were divided into 36 teams to
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  SRSI Students mentored at RISC Lab win Grand and Special Awards in the 2023 National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity (Ibdaa)

  1 min read · Sun, Feb 12 2023

  News

  SRSI

  Following the SRSI program from last August, the RISC Lab welcomed the two SRSI Students back, Maria Qumsani and Bandar AlBraheem, for a one-week internship under the supervision of the RISC Lab faculty: Prof. Eric Feron. The students continued developing their projects to prepare for the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity ( Ibdaa), which honors 40 Saudi high school students. We are glad to announce that Maria Qumsani and Bandar AlBraheem were two of the 40 Grand Award winners of the competition held from February 1st through 4th at KFUPM, Dhahran campus. The obtained awards are as

October 2022

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  Professor Feron receives two best paper awards at DASC 2022

  1 min read · Tue, Oct 11 2022

  Awards News

  KAUST Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Eric Feron received two best paper awards at this year’s 41st American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)/Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC 2022).

August 2022

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  2022 SRSI Students at RISC Lab

  1 min read · Tue, Aug 23 2022

  News

  SRSI

  #RISCLab, #SRSI During this past summer, our team from the RISC Lab took part in the annual program organized by the Saudi Research Science Institute. We welcomed three highly motivated Saudi high-school students, who engaged in the six-week intensive core research program. The research projects were under the supervision of RISC Lab faculty: Prof. Eric Feron and Prof. Shinkyu Park . Each student was assigned a mentor guiding them in the laboratory work and discussion of project details. Projects: - "Alleviating the Effect of a Broken Pulley on a 3D Printer" by Bandar AlBraheem mentored by

May 2022

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  Renzo Caballero: Ph.D. Research Proposal Defense

  1 min read · Mon, May 23 2022

  News

  PH.D. RESEARCH PROPOSAL DEFENSE Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at 08:30 a.m. Building 2, Level 5, Room 5220; Join Zoom Meeting "Theory and Dynamics of Self-Repair Systems" Committee Members Prof. Eric Feron, Prof. Shinkyu Park, Prof. Diogo Gomez, Prof. David Keyes, Prof. Taous-Meriem Laleg Abstract We propose approaching the self-repair concept in robots from a control theory and mathematical modeling point of view by understanding the self-repair dynamics and finding conditions for stability in the repair process. We utilize a 3D printer as a proof of concept. Through experimentation and
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  Nawaf Alotaibi: Master's Thesis Defense

  1 min read · Tue, May 17 2022

  News

  MASTER'S THESIS DEFENSE Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Building 4, Level 5, Room 5220; Join Zoom Meeting "Vision Approach for Position Estimation Using Moiré Patterns and Convolutional Neural Networks" Committee Members Prof. Eric Feron, Prof. Gaetano Magnotti, Prof. Shinkyu Park Abstract In order for a robot to operate autonomously in an environment, it must be able to locate itself within it. A robot's position and orientation cannot be directly measured by physical sensors, so estimating it is a non-trivial problem. There are sensors that provide this information, such as the Global
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  Bilal Maassarani: Ph.D. Research Proposal Defense

  1 min read · Sun, May 15 2022

  News

  PH.D. RESEARCH PROPOSAL DEFENSE Sunday, May 15, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. Building 3, Level 5, Room 5220 “The TetraheDrone: A Modular Fractal Vertical Take Off and Landing Unmanned Aerial System" Committee Members Prof. Eric Feron, Prof. Shinkyu Park, Prof. Gilles Lubineau Abstract We introduce the TetraheDrone, a hover-capable module in the shape of a tetrahedron that can be assembled in larger tetrahedral configurations and can transition to winged flight. Inspired by earlier designs by Alexander Graham Bell, the TetraheDrone can become a large vehicle while keeping an inherent ability for
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  Abdulaziz Yaslam: Master's Thesis Defense

  1 min read · Tue, May 10 2022

  News

  Master's Thesis Defense Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at 9:00 AM Building 3, Level 5, Room 5209; Join Zoom Meeting: https://kaust.zoom.us/j/4852668297; Meeting ID: 485 266 8297 "Exploration of Mandibular Input for Human Machine Interfaces." Committee Members Prof. Eric Feron, Prof. Stefan Arold, and Prof. Shinkyu Park Abstract The direct connection of the jaw to the brain allows it to retain its motor and sensory capabilities even after severe spinal cord injuries. As such, it can be an accessible means of providing inputs for people with paralysis to manipulate their environment. This paper

April 2022

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  Safa Saber: Ph.D. Research Proposal Defense

  1 min read · Mon, Apr 25 2022

  News

  PH.D. RESEARCH PROPOSAL DEFENSE Monday, April 25, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. Building 2, Level 5, Room 5220 “Contingency Planning for Commercial Aircraft Formations" Committee Members Prof. Eric Feron, Prof. Deanna Lacoste, Prof. Shinkyu Park Abstract It has long been proven that flying aircraft in formations that utilize wake vortex energy reduces fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and airspace congestion. Though military transport class aircraft utilize formation flight, the commercial air transportation industry has yet to take advantage of its benefits in favor of maintaining traditional individual
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  Yi-Hsuan Chen: Master's Thesis Defense

  1 min read · Sun, Apr 3 2022

  News

  Master's Thesis Defense Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at 5:30 pm Building 3, Level 5, Room 5220; Join Zoom Meeting: https://kaust.zoom.us/j/91694715622; Meeting ID: 916 9471 5622 "Control design and analysis for reduced-gravity atmospheric flights." Committee Members Prof. Eric Feron, Prof. David Keyes, and Prof. Shinkyu Park Abstract This work presents a longitudinal flight control algorithm to guide an aircraft to follow a parabolic trajectory by minimizing the position deviation between the aircraft and a reference object (proof mass). As an aircraft flies along the parabolic trajectory, it will

March 2022

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  Fatema Alhani: Master's Thesis Defense

  1 min read · Wed, Mar 30 2022

  News

  MASTER'S THESIS DEFENSE Wednesday, March 30, 2022, at 4:00 PM Building 2, Level 5, Room 5205 "Run-Time Assurance via Real-Time Trajectory Generation and Transverse Dynamics Regulation Law." Committee Members Prof. Eric Feron, Prof. Shinkyu Park, Dr. Ricardo Manuel Pinto de Lima Abstract In safety-critical environments, it is crucial to have a backup strategy the system can turn to when facing a potentially unsafe situation. Run-time assurance provides a reliable methodology as a backup strategy. This work introduces a new framework for Run-time assurance, by generating trajectories in real
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  Juman AlAbdullatif: Master's Thesis Defense

  1 min read · Tue, Mar 29 2022

  News

  MASTER'S THESIS DEFENSE Thursday, March 29, 2022, at 2:00 PM Building 3, Level 5, Room 5209 "A Decentralized Approach for Human-Robot Object Transportation Through the Control of a Catenary Cable." Committee Members Prof. Eric Feron, Prof. Shinkyu Park, and Prof. Omar Knio Abstract An important challenge for human-robot interaction is for both the human and the robot to agree on a model of motion. However, most applications require machine learning and heavy communication for the robot to be an active member in executing a joint task and adapt to human behavior. In this work, we develop a

January 2022

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  Recording: Distinguished Lecture by Prof. Eric Feron, WEP Resilient Robotics

  1 min read · Mon, Jan 17 2022

  News

  Distinguished Lecture | Resilient Robotics | Eric Feron Eric Feron, professor of Electrical Engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, speaks on resilient robotics during WEP.

November 2021

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  The KAUST Research Conference on Robotics and Autonomy 2022 #RobotoKAUST

  1 min read · Tue, Nov 2 2021

  News

  robotics research conference

  Building upon our successful online conference in spring 2021, the KAUST Robotics, Intelligent Systems, and Control Lab (RISC Lab) will host the KAUST Research Conference on Robotics and Autonomy 2022 (#RobotoKAUST2022) from February 28 until March 2, 2022. The conference will address the most recent trends of robotics application in a range of disciplines.

October 2021

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  The Recordings of the #RobotoKAUST talks are available

  1 min read · Tue, Oct 19 2021

  News

  research conference RobotoKAUST

  The first KAUST Research Conference on Robotics and Autonomy 2021, #RobotoKAUST, brought together leading international and in-Kingdom robotics researchers and government and industry representatives from the robotics industry to discuss robotics and its applications. The recordings of the talks are available online! To watch the talks, please visit our website #RobotoKAUST or our KAUST RISC Lab YouTube Channel.

May 2021

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  NASA’s helicopter Ingenuity flies on Mars: the challenges behind the exploration of other planets

  1 min read · Mon, May 3 2021

  News

  On April 19, 2021, NASA flew the first helicopter in history on Mars. Ingenuity – the small, unmanned solar helicopter - rose 3 m over the ground and hovered in the thin Martian air for about 40 seconds. Ingenuity landed on Mars attached to the underside of the Perseverance rover on February 18, 2021. Before Ingenuity, the first flight on a planet beyond Earth was an unpowered balloon carried on Venus by the Soviet probe Vega 1, in 1985.

March 2021

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  KAUST Research Conference of Robotics and Autonomy 2021

  1 min read · Wed, Mar 31 2021

  News

  research conference RobotoKAUST

  The KAUST Research Conference on Robotics and Autonomy 2021, #RobotoKAUST, brought together leading international and in-Kingdom robotics researchers and government and industry representatives from the robotics industry to discuss robotics and its applications. The online event was organized by Prof. E. Feron, Prof. B. Ghanem, Prof. X. Zhang and had six sessions on Marine Robotics, Human-Robot Interactions, Aerospace Robotics, Mobile Robotics, Wearable Robotics & Microrobotics, Assured Autonomy. Twenty-seven speakers (seven from KSA including three from KAUST, and three from industry)
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  KAUST RISC lab hosts Center of Excellence for Aeronautics and Astronautics(KACST)

  1 min read · Thu, Mar 4 2021

  News

  robotics drones

  KAUST Robotics, Intelligent Systems, and Control (RISC) Lab hosts a 3-day visit by personnel from the Center of Excellence for Aeronautics and Astronautics at King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology ( https://ceaa.kacst.edu.sa/). During their visit, a team of ten, led by Dr. Hesham Shageer of KACST attended talks by RISC Profs. Eric Feron and Shinkyu Park on diverse aspects of robotics. The KACST team also visited FalconViz ( http://www.falconviz.com/) and Firnas ( https://www.firnas.aero/home.php)Two KAUST startups relying on drone technology to perform a variety of tasks, such as