Established in August 2017, the Robotics Research Center (RRC) is the academy's premier resource for technical expertise and academic scholarship in the area of robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) and artificial intelligence (AI). It is USMA's largest research center by operating budget, personnel, resources, and capabilities.
The RRC enables interdisciplinary cooperation, concentrates academy-wide research efforts, and supports margin-of-excellence activities focused on RAS, AI, and machine learning (ML). Its mission is to provide cadets, staff, and faculty with an opportunity to conduct basic and applied research on RAS and prepare them to lead in an Army more reliant on artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.
COL Joseph Davis was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1996 upon graduation from Marion Military Institute. He served as an Armor officer in the 155th Armor Brigade of the Mississippi Army National Guard and later as an Assault Helicopter platoon leader in the 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment of the Alabama Army National Guard.
In 2002, he completed a bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and entered the active Army in 2003. COL Davis attended Georgia Institute of Technology from 2019-22 and received a doctorate in aerospace engineering.
Learn more about the different research projects that are ongoing at the Robotics Research Center.
Projects and Sponsors
Project Aquaticus is a human-robot teaming testbed designed to explore humans and robots being partners while embedded in the same environment.
Learn more about Project Aquaticus
LAIRE conducts fundamental and applied research and engineering in artificial intelligence (AI).
Learn more about LAIRE
The Human-Robot Teaming Lab was established in 2020 by Dr. Michael Novitzky at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Housed within the Robotics Research Center, the lab focuses on creating teams in dynamic and stressful environments.
Learn more about human-robot teaming
Cadets gain hands-on experience working alongside faculty and peers on innovative, real-world robotics projects. Through research, competitions, and collaborative design, they develop the technical skills, critical thinking, and leadership abilities essential for success in a rapidly evolving operational environment.
The RRC features state-of-the-art facilities designed to support innovation, experimentation, and hands-on learning. These dynamic spaces empower cadets and faculty to advance cutting-edge robotics research while developing the technical expertise and leadership skills needed for the Army of the future.
For a comprehensive list of publications, visit the Robotics Research Center’s collection in the USMA Library, which highlights the breadth and impact of research conducted by cadets and faculty.
The center plays an active role in advancing the field through peer review and editorial contributions to respected national and international journals and conference proceedings. In addition, the RRC mentors and supports cadets and faculty throughout the writing and publishing process, helping them prepare high-quality submissions for conferences, poster sessions, and scholarly journals.
The Office of Research helps coordinate West Point’s research efforts with external entities. Those interested in conducting research with West Point can email the Associate Dean for Research.