The University of Kentucky, Transylvania University and six other educational institutions across the state have been awarded a five-year, $24 million grant to spur advanced manufacturing technology and robotics research, while building a more STEM-literate workforce in Kentucky.
The Kentucky National Science Foundation’s (NSF) EPSCoR, or Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, awarded the bulk of the grant, which will fund the collaborative Kentucky Advanced Partnership for Enhanced Robotics and Structures (KAMPERS). The project will combine the work of 40 multidisciplinary researchers from the eight Kentucky universities and colleges, including UK, University of Louisville (UofL), Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), Kentucky State University (KSU), Morehead State University (MSU), Somerset Community College, Transylvania University (TU) and Western Kentucky University (WKU).
Graphic by Kevin Puckett, KY NSF EPSCoR
Eight institutions—UK, UofL, EKU, Morehead State, WKU, Transylvania, Kentucky State, and Somerset Community College—are collaborating on the research project.
“This cooperative project will help bolster Kentucky’s economy, create jobs and put the commonwealth at the forefront of automation and human-machine interaction," said UK President Eli Capilouto and UofL President Neeli Bendapudi in a joint statement on the project. "Kentucky is at its best when our brightest minds are working together to answer our toughest questions. We are dreaming boldly, so that we might achieve greatly, and we can’t wait to see what this group will accomplish.”
The resulting research is expected to have applications in the construction of components for robotic and autonomous systems in multiple industries, including elder care, home service, health care, education and other human-robot interactions. EPSCoR will fund $20 million of the project, with the state's Cabinet for Economic Development contributing $2.5 million in matching funds. An additional $1.5 million in additional commitments will come from the institutions themselves.
At Transylvania University, grant money will fund new faculty and student research and the acquisition of cutting-edge lab equipment. Transylvania's research will complement studies of next-generation materials being conducted by University of Kentucky scientists and other project partners.
“One of the ideas of the grant is to develop methods of manufacturing where we can embed sensors onto advanced manufacturing robots that can detect and measure things in ways that current robots cannot,” Transylvania physics professor Stephen Johnson said. “It’s a great opportunity for Transylvania to be able to participate in research at this level."