INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY

ROBOTICS

OptiTrack deployed a combined 92 high-performance cameras across two research facilities at Carnegie Mellon University ' s Robotics Innovation Center. Together, the systems will power a broad range of robotics and physical AI research.

The partnership paired two institutions at the top of their respective fields. Carnegie Mellon is internationally renowned for its fundamental and applied research in robotics, automation and artificial intelligence. Its Robotics Institute, founded in 1979 as the world ' s first university robotics department, is consistently ranked among the world ' s leading robotics programmes. OptiTrack, founded in 1996, has spent nearly 30 years engineering motion capture systems trusted by thousands of research institutions worldwide.

The indoor Motion Capture Studio features 28 PrimeX41 cameras and four Prime Color reference cameras, delivering micron-level accuracy across its full 2,800-square-foot volume. The outdoor Drone Cage is outfitted with 60 VersaX120 cameras, OptiTrack ' s highestresolution outdoor camera engineered with IP66-rated weather protection, covering the full cage volume up to its 38-foot ceiling. Both systems leverage OptiTrack ' s proprietary ActiveIO Tracking technology to uniquely identify and track hundreds of objects simultaneously.

" We are proud to partner with CMU ' s world-class robotics program. This groundbreaking collaboration validates what our customers already know: OptiTrack leads in precision, scalability, and reliability— powered by the most advanced motion capture technology in the industry," said Sidney Rittenberg, CEO, OptiTrack.

" The future of robotics, physical AI and extended reality will be forged at Carnegie Mellon ' s Robotics Innovation Center. We are excited to partner with OptiTrack to put their industry-leading motion capture technology in the hands of our researchers. Whether tracking multirobot systems, drone swarms or human movement, OptiTrack ' s suite of cameras and sensors will enable a new generation of discovery," said Martial Hebert, Dean, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University.

The systems will support research programmes including autonomous aerial robotics and multi-robot coordination through CMU ' s AirLab, robotic imitation learning and human activity modelling led by Associate Research Professor Kris Kitani, and work aligned with the university ' s recently announced Physical AI Accelerator, a state-backed expansion merging robotics, sensing and intelligent systems. OptiTrack also joined Carnegie Mellon ' s Extended Reality Technology Center as a sponsor. Researchers intend to use the equipment to recreate movement in the virtual world. The partnership is expected to strengthen collaboration between academia and industry while accelerating breakthroughs in autonomous systems research. •

The RIC celebrated its grand opening in February 2026, demonstrating Carnegie Mellon University ' s leadership in robotics, physical AI and cutting-edge technology while highlighting the university ' s role in bringing these innovations from the lab to real-world deployment. The 150,000-square-foot facility at Hazelwood Green, a revitalised development on the former site of Pittsburgh ' s historic Jones & Laughlin Steel Mill, houses a 50,000-square-foot robotics testing floor, aquatic research lab, motion capture studio and a 6,000-square-foot outdoor drone cage.

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