Events
Friday, September 12, 2025 - Texas Robotics Talk: Rohit John Varghese
Title: "Robot MCP: Bridging AI and Existing Robots Using Model Context Protocol — Emergent Behaviors in Action"
Location: AHG 1.112
Time: 2:00-3:00 PM
Description: AI models are advancing rapidly in their ability to perceive, reason, and plan. Yet most existing robots are built on stable software stacks and custom APIs, making a rebuild for AI integration a costly endeavor. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) offers a new standard for connecting AI systems with external tools, and Robot MCP is an open-source server that applies this standard to robotics. By bridging AI models such as Claude, GPT, and Gemini with existing robot ecosystems — demonstrated on ROS, the world’s largest robotics software platform — Robot MCP enables new classes of tasks that neither AI nor classical deterministic robotics could accomplish independently.
In this talk, we’ll introduce MCP in accessible terms, walk through how Robot MCP connects AI models to robot systems, and demonstrate the kinds of interactions this makes possible. We’ll also share emergent behaviors observed when AI models were given real-time access to robot functions — from unexpected problem-solving strategies to surprising limitations.
Bio: Rohit John Varghese is the Director of Systems Engineering and Product at Contoro Robotics, where he leads the design, software, and manufacturing of autonomous robots for logistics. His work spans exoskeletons, teleoperation, and AI-enabled robotic systems, including developing a 27 DoF upper-limb exoskeleton for haptic teleoperation of humanoid robots. Previously, Rohit was Vice President of Research & New Product at Harmonic Bionics, where he led development of the Harmony SHR medical exoskeleton and supported the company’s FDA registration and Series A raise. He has taught graduate-level robotics at The University of Texas at Austin, and has served as an industry mentor and grant award reviewer for the National Science Foundation (NSF). Rohit also leads the development of the Robot MCP server, an open-source project that bridges AI models and robotic systems using the Model Context Protocol.
Minor in Robotics Information Session
- Info Session #1:
- Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2025
- Time: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
- Location: AHG 1.112
- Info Session #2:
- Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
- Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
- Location: AHG 1.112
- Info Session #3:
- Date: Spring 2026
- Time: TBD
- Location: TBD
- Info Session #4:
- Date: Spring 2026
- Time: TBD
- Location: TBD
Every Other Tuesday (Starting Sept. 2) - Texas Robotics Portfolio Seminar Series
The Portfolio Seminar Series is an event for Texas Robotics Graduate Students at the University of Texas at Austin. It is held online and in person at 12:00pm every other Tuesday.
Texas Robotics Graduate Students Meetings
TRGS meetings are held every Monday at 1pm in the conference room of AHG (2.124). Attendance and participation in the organization is encouraged for all graduate students affiliated with Texas Robotics.
There are currently no other upcoming events for Texas Robotics. If you are looking for events for the Texas Robotics Graduate Students organization, please visit their website.
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