IEEE ICMA 2026 Conference
Plenary Talk I

Human Centered Autonomy

Henrik Christensen, Ph.D.
Professor
University of California, San Diego
https://cri.ucsd.edu

Abstract:
The push for full replacement of human labor is challenged by uncertainty and a lack of structure in our daily lives. A more realistic vision is to consider how automation can be leveraged to empower humans in their daily life, such as work functions, mobility to/from work, and assistance with challenging tasks, such as heavy lifts or long walks. Through designs that are primarily about empowering humans, it is possible to achieve more effective systems. In this presentation, we will discuss multiple approaches to the design of automation that empower people in new ways, do this at a reduced cost of deployment, and achieve significant savings for the overall system. We will both discuss the overall design decisions, the underlying mechanisms/control and give examples of use of such systems in warehousing and in micro mobility. Finally, we will out several opportunities for the future.

Prof. Henrik I Christensen is the Qualcomm Chancellor’s Chair of Robot Systems and the director of the Contextual Robotics Institute at UC San Diego. He directs the Cognitive Robotics Laboratory and the Autonomous Vehicles Laboratory. His research focuses on a systems approach to robotics, incorporating a theoretical foundation, solid implementation, evaluation in realistic settings, and translation to real-world applications. Dr. Christensen has co-founded six companies, including Robust.AI, Intelligent Machines, and Christensen Consulting Group. He also co-founded Robo-Global, an international investment company that was acquired by Vetta Fi in 2022. He is an advisor to multiple venture companies such as InterWoven, Spring Mountain Capital, Calibrate Ventures, and Temasek International.
Henrik has published more than 400 contributions across robotics, computer vision, and AI, and has served on the editorial board of many journals such as Autonomous Robots, IJRR, IEEE Field Robotics. He is the main editor of the US National Robotics Roadmap. He is also an advisor to companies and government agencies across four continents.