Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) announced today that Stefanos Nikolaidis Ph.D. has received the Agilent 2022 Early Career Professor Award. Dr. Stefanos Nikolaidis is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southern California | USC Viterbi School of Engineering and leads the Interactive and Collaborative Autonomous Robotics Systems (ICAROS) lab.
Dr. Chong Wing Yung, Associate Director of University Relations and External Research at Agilent, manages the award program and determined the focus of this year’s award towards contributions to the development of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Vision technologies for intuitive Collaborative Robots (Cobots) to address demands for a flexible next-generation workforce in manufacturing applications.
The Nikolaidis ICAROS lab focuses on technologies that enable cobots to interact robustly with users in unconstrained and dynamic environments. This combination of computational human-robot interaction and automatic scenario generation will enable fundamental advances in developing interactive robots that can assist users in complex, real-world tasks.
“We are thrilled that Professor Nikolaidis has been recognized with the 2022 Agilent Early Career Professor Award, placing him as the preeminent early career faculty in the world in this area,” said Yannis C. Yortsos, Dean of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. “We are not surprised with this selection given Professor Nikolaidis’ expertise and accomplishments in AI and robotics and how these will help advance manufacturing in today’s rapidly changing technology landscape. Support from this award will allow him to develop his research program further and to explore new and exciting applications of AI and machine vision technologies.”
“Agilent is excited to leverage the prestigious Agilent Early Career Professor Award to support the development of intuitive collaborative robot technologies,” said Dr. Nahid Chalyavi, Associate Vice President of University Relations and External Research at Agilent. “The scientific advances will boost Agilent’s manufacturing capabilities and bring future innovations to our analytical instruments and lab automation equipment.”
Dr. Nikolaidis was selected as the 2022 recipient because of his focus on developing next-generation intuitive, cobots which can augment and enhance human capabilities with superior strength, accuracy and precision, and data capabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global supply chains, thus the availability of parts and on-time delivery of scientific instruments. Investing in intuitive automated cobots will add to and enhance Agilent’s world-class manufacturing applications and processes and ensure that Agilent can fulfill its commitment to supplying instruments that our customers trust on time and with uncompromised quality.
The Agilent Early Career Professor Award is an annual program that recognizes and supports promising research from professors who, early in their careers, show outstanding potential for future research in areas of importance to the communities Agilent serves. This award underscores Agilent's commitment to furthering research through the company's products and services, financial support, and collaborative engagement by Agilent scientists and engineers. Further information about the program is available at Agilent.com.