CARV Laboratory Partners with MITRE on Autonomous Systems Research

CARV Lab, led by Director and Associate Professor Eric Wetzel, Ph.D., in the McWhorter School of Building Science (BSCI), has signed a formal research agreement with MITRE to explore and improve the safe operation of autonomous systems in highly dynamic, safety-critical environments such as construction.

“The CARV Lab is proud to partner with MITRE to advance safe autonomy in complex, fast-changing environments,” Wetzel said. “Together, we are translating advanced algorithms into real-world systems that improve safety and performance on construction sites and beyond.”

The research will focus on expanding robotic system perception and planning through physics- and data-driven models, both in simulation and in real-world environments. The partnership combines the CARV Lab’s robotics expertise and real-world testing with MITRE’s autonomy and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to address complex safety challenges using insights from multiple domains.

“MITRE is excited to partner with the CARV Lab to help accelerate the adoption of autonomy into real-world, safety-critical domains like construction,” said MITRE robotics engineer and principal investigator Chase Frazelle, Ph.D. “This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to not just advancing research, but ensuring innovation developed in the lab is rapidly applied to solve pressing national challenges in the field.”

Overall, the work aims to generate practical insights that support safer and more effective autonomy in construction while informing solutions in a broader set of challenging domains.