Faculty researchers develop humanoid robotic system to teach Tai Chi

Zhi Zheng’s robot is skilled at Tai Chi, and her research team hopes it will soon lead a class of older adults at a local community center. Her robot is more than a cute companion. It can help improve cognitive function and provide insights about how people interact with robots in various settings.

Zheng, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering in RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering, developed a sophisticated humanoid robot as part of her assistive technology research.

With expertise in developing robotics and virtual reality systems, Zheng’s work explores human-machine intelligence. She is part of a larger RIT cross-disciplinary team using artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to design assistive technologies that can impact mental health care.