My name is Abhijeet Agnihotri. I'm a human-robot/ai-interaction researcher, creative technologist, hobbyist musician, and an avid runner. On any given day, you might find me engaged in all of these passions.
I'm passionate about creating innovative ways for robots and AI to enhance human life and foster natural, intelligent interactions between people and machines. I thrive in interdisciplinary environments where engineers, researchers, and designers collaborate on groundbreaking solutions. My strength lies in connecting these diverse fields and driving the development of both imaginative and practical innovations.
Currently, I work as a Staff Humans and Autonomy Research Engineer at Aurora Flight Sciences in Cambridge, MA. Previously, I was a UX developer on the robotics user experience team at Toyota Research Institute. Before that, I completed my robotics graduate studies at Oregon State University and worked on the Everyday Robot Project at GoogleX. For more about my background, check out my CV.
During my Stanford internship after junior year, I built a robotic chair that sparked my fascination with human-robot interaction (see it in action). The chair would subtly bump into people, encouraging them to follow, or communicate through movement. This project opened my eyes to the creative possibilities in robotics.
Ultimately, I discovered that the essence of robotics and AI isn't about how machines respond to humans, but rather how humans engage with technology.
I was also the first roboticist featured on Conan O'Brien's podcast. As a huge fan of his humor, the C.U.T.I.E. podcast experience remains one of my most cherished memories.
Music is my second passion. I compose songs, play guitar, and have set up a mini-studio at home where I'm learning music production. Here's an original song I recorded:
Whether busy with robots or not, you'll often find me playing guitar. My favorite bands include Queen, The Beatles, RHCP, Led Zeppelin, and Travis.
If I weren't a roboticist (physicist), I'd probably be a musician. I often think in music, live my daydreams in music, and see my life in terms of music - Einstein.
As a formerly chubby kid with no interest in running, becoming a marathoner was never on my radar. What changed? The pandemic. What began in April 2020 as a simple 5K charity run evolved into a passion that preserved my mental health and physical fitness. I captured the excitement, struggle, and relief of my marathon journey in this video: