CMU Receives Funding for Science Building, Robotics Center

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) received a $75 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to support a robotics innovation center and an institute focused on advanced materials and manufacturing. The award is one-half of a total that will additionally support a new $210 million science building; $45 million will be devoted exclusively to the creation of the Robotics Innovation Center (RIC), which is expected to cost around $100 million.

The center will add up to 150,000 ft of space to CMU’s robotics research capabilities. Envisioned for the RIC are reconfigurable high bays, multiple testing facilities including a unique large-footprint testing area, and flexible spaces that address robotics systems at different scales. The facility is expected to include pre-incubator space for the next generation of CMU-affiliated robotics companies, Carnegie Mellon said in a press release.