ABOUT
The Robotic, Automation, and Intelligent Sensing (RAISE) Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign champions innovation at the intersection of construction and robotics. We conduct cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research, with a particular focus on the integration of robotics, automation, and sensing technologies in the construction industry and infrastructure systems management.
Our vision is to transform the construction sites of the future into safer, more manageable, and highly automated environments where robots are seamlessly integrated. This transformation encompasses the use of automatic data acquisition, simulation tools, and sophisticated data analysis with signal processing and machine learning algorithms.
In pursuit of this, we are dedicated to fostering a rigorous, creative, and cross-cultural educational environment that inspires our students to contribute to these technological advancements. Our goal is to empower the industry to enhance worker safety, productivity, and health, while contributing to the development of smart, connected cities and built environments.
Through this commitment to construction automation, we aim to significantly improve the health, productivity, and safety of not only construction workers but also infrastructure users and citizens within these future smart cities.
TEAM
Director
Bio:
Houtan Jebelli, Ph.D., holds a position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan, in addition to a bachelor's degree in the same field from Tehran Polytechnic University. Further strengthening his academic portfolio, Dr. Jebelli has an MSc in Structural Engineering from the Sharif University of Technology, an MSc in Construction Engineering and Management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and an additional MSc in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, which he achieved while undertaking his Ph.D.
As the Director of the Robotic, Automation, and Intelligent Sensing (RAISE) Lab, Dr. Jebelli heads a research group that introduces innovative human physiology elements into robotic control and motion planning systems, thereby enhancing the interaction and adaptation between workers and robots. Under his leadership, the RAISE Lab focuses on pioneering advancements in the field of construction robotics, particularly in fostering enhanced human-robot interaction. The team strives to develop human-centric robotic perception and adaptation mechanisms that can be seamlessly integrated into construction sites. This involves the customization of worker-robot collaborations and co-adaptation, with a strong emphasis on safety and efficiency. Their research also extends to the use of physiological computing to automate construction processes and to implement health monitoring systems for construction workers, grounded in real-time physiological data.
Dr. Jebelli's contributions have been recognized through several awards and fellowships, including the Charles M. Eastman Top Ph.D. Paper Award, two Outstanding Thesis Awards, the Rackham Research Grant, the John L. Tishman Fellowship, and the Calvin C. Solem Foundation Fellowship. In addition to his responsibilities in research and academia, Dr. Jebelli reviews for numerous academic journals and symposia and actively engages in professional communities such as the ASCE Data Sensing and Analysis (DSA) and ASCE Visualization, Information Modelling, and Simulation (VIMS) committees."
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Members
Dr. Shayan Shayesteh
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Research Topic: Applications of Immersive Technologies for Human-machine Interaction
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Xiayu Zhao
Ph.D. Student
Research Topic: Cyber-physical Human-robot Collaboration in Construction
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Zainab Memon
Undergraduate Student
Amit Ojha
Ph.D. Candidate
Research Topic: A Comprehensive Risk Assessment of Wearable Robot Usage in Construction Environments
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Yogesh Gautam
Ph.D. Student
Research Topic: Developing and Integrating Smart Technologies for Enhanced Worker Safety and Well-being in Future Construction Sites
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Jerome Jackson
Undergraduate Student
Yuming Zhang
Ph.D. Student
Research Topic: Developing Advanced Platforms, Incorporating Virtual Reality, for Enhanced Training in Human-robot Interaction in Construction
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Tianyu Ren
Ph.D. Student
Research Topic: Integration of Robotic Automation Solutions into Complex and Hazardous Construction Operations
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Carolina Manrique Paez
Undergraduate Student
Anika Sengul
Undergraduate Student
K12 Teachers and Students
Michael Lowry
Visiting K12 Teacher
Philip Wood
Visiting K12 Teacher
Deborah Armstrong
Visiting K12 Teacher
Ken Yoshida
Visiting K12 Student
Alumni
Dr. Yizhi Liu
Ph.D.
Research Topic: Worker-Centric Human-Robot Co-Adaptation in Construction
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Current Position: Assistant Professor at Syracuse University
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Dr. Mahmoud Habibnezhad
Postdoctoral Scholar
Research Topic: Construction Automation and Robotics; Virtual and Augmented Reality for Construction Safety Training
Current Position: Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University (LSU)
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Dr. Yumna Kurdi
Ph.D.
Research Topic: Co-simulation and Optimization of PV System Design, Building Geometry, and Layout at the Urban Scale
Current Position: Assistant Professor at University of Idaho
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Dr. Shahrad Shakerian
Ph.D.
Research Topic: Digital Twin Enabled Facilities Maintenance Management through the Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Sensory-Level Data
Current Position:
Data Scientist at Lowe's
Jonathan Seagers
Master's Student
Research Topic: Immersive Technologies in the Construction Industry; Human-robot Collaboration for the Construction Industry
Current Position: Project Engineer at Southland Industries
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Lorena Ribeiro
Master's Student
Research Topic: Application of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in the Construction Industry
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Current Position: Management Consulting Associate at BCG
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Madeline Breneman
Schreyer Honors Master Student
Research Topic: Construction Robotics
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Current Position: Operations Intern at Southland Industries
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Team Memebrs
Ongoing Projects
Publications
Awards Won
Alumni
PROJECTS
CONTACT
Inquiries
For any inquiries, questions or commendations, please send an email to Dr. Jebelli or fill out the following form
Address
205 N Mathews Ave
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL 61801
Tel: 217-333-8038
Prospective Students
If you are interested in joining RAISE Lab, please send a cover letter together with your C.V. to Dr. Jebelli