INSPIRE - Where is Physical AI? with Stefan Leutenegger

The term "Physical AI" is being used everywhere these days – in expectation that the next big step-change in AI will come in the form of a physical embodiment, such as a mobile robot. In my talk, I will overview some past and current works that aim to make progress towards this vision, which lie at the intersection of estimation, Spatial AI and robot action with multiple platforms, from drones to humanoids. I will also talk about what are currently the gaps that limit immediate progress towards true Physical AI, motivating our current and future research in the lab.Stefan Leutenegger is Associate Professor of Mobile Robotics at ETH Zürich and heads the Mobile Robotics Lab (MRL). His group develops Spatial AI, navigation and exploration, mobile manipulation, and robot learning for the next generation of mobile robots, from inspection drones to humanoids working on construction sites and at home. He was previously Assistant Professor at TU Munich (2021–2024) and Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and Reader at Imperial College London (2014–2020). He received his BSc, MSc, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zürich, the latter in 2014 for work on autonomous solar airplanes.