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Pitt Redefines Mobility: Right Here in Bakery Square
November 6, 2025
From the heart of Pittsburgh’s AI Avenue, another groundbreaking initiative is taking shape, one that’s poised to redefine independence, accessibility, and mobility for millions. The University of Pittsburgh, in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University and leading robotics companies, has launched the Robotic Assisted Mobility and Manipulation Platform (RAMMP), a $41.5 million federal project backed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).
This ambitious effort isn’t just about reinventing a wheelchair. It’s about reimagining what’s possible for human mobility, combining robotics, AI, and human-centered design to create technology that empowers rather than limits.
This ambitious effort isn’t just about reinventing a wheelchair. It’s about reimagining what’s possible for human mobility, combining robotics, AI, and human-centered design to create technology that empowers rather than limits.
"We're Redesigning Everything from the Ground Up"
At the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), located right here at Bakery Square, robotic wheelchairs and assistive devices line the walls, each representing decades of innovation led by Dr. Rory Cooper, HERL’s director and co-principal investigator of the RAMMP project.
A wheelchair user himself and a decorated U.S. Army veteran, Cooper has dedicated his career to advancing mobility technology. Now, with the support of ARPA-H and a consortium of partners including Kinova Robotics, LUCI Mobility, ATDev, Cornell, Northeastern, Purdue, and Indiana University, he’s setting out to transform the field entirely.
“We’re not just improving the wheelchair,” said Cooper. “We’re rebuilding it. The seating system, the base, the robotic arm, the control systems, even the operating system. Everything will be new.”
A wheelchair user himself and a decorated U.S. Army veteran, Cooper has dedicated his career to advancing mobility technology. Now, with the support of ARPA-H and a consortium of partners including Kinova Robotics, LUCI Mobility, ATDev, Cornell, Northeastern, Purdue, and Indiana University, he’s setting out to transform the field entirely.
“We’re not just improving the wheelchair,” said Cooper. “We’re rebuilding it. The seating system, the base, the robotic arm, the control systems, even the operating system. Everything will be new.”
A Platform for Independence and Dignity
The RAMMP system will integrate a robotic arm and an advanced AI-driven operating system, allowing users to perform everyday tasks like opening a refrigerator, brewing coffee, or navigating a park, naturally and safely.
These are small actions that most take for granted, yet for people with mobility impairments, they can take 45 minutes to an hour. RAMMP’s goal is to make them take seconds.
“We want to make grabbing a carton of milk or going for a walk in Schenley Park as natural as possible,” Cooper explained. “That’s what independence really means.”
The system’s “digital twin”, powered by AI and high-speed simulation, will test designs virtually before physical prototypes are built, dramatically speeding development and improving safety. This virtual testing platform, RAMMS (Robotic Assistive Mobility Manipulation Simulation), will also open the door to innovations across healthcare robotics, manufacturing, and home automation.
These are small actions that most take for granted, yet for people with mobility impairments, they can take 45 minutes to an hour. RAMMP’s goal is to make them take seconds.
“We want to make grabbing a carton of milk or going for a walk in Schenley Park as natural as possible,” Cooper explained. “That’s what independence really means.”
The system’s “digital twin”, powered by AI and high-speed simulation, will test designs virtually before physical prototypes are built, dramatically speeding development and improving safety. This virtual testing platform, RAMMS (Robotic Assistive Mobility Manipulation Simulation), will also open the door to innovations across healthcare robotics, manufacturing, and home automation.
Collaboration at the Core: Pitt, CMU, and Partners Unite
The RAMMP project exemplifies Pittsburgh’s collaborative spirit, where world-class universities and private innovators work side by side to solve real-world problems.
CMU’s Robotic Caregiving and Human Interaction Lab will lead the development of the robotic arm and its adaptive control systems, merging the university’s AI and robotics expertise with Pitt’s leadership in rehabilitation and biomedical engineering.
Anantha Shekhar, Pitt’s Senior Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, called the effort “the pinnacle of what’s been happening over the last 30 years in this very building,” emphasizing that it represents not only research, but a movement toward “using AI, computation, and robotics to change lives.”
CMU’s Robotic Caregiving and Human Interaction Lab will lead the development of the robotic arm and its adaptive control systems, merging the university’s AI and robotics expertise with Pitt’s leadership in rehabilitation and biomedical engineering.
Anantha Shekhar, Pitt’s Senior Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, called the effort “the pinnacle of what’s been happening over the last 30 years in this very building,” emphasizing that it represents not only research, but a movement toward “using AI, computation, and robotics to change lives.”
Innovation Rooted in Pittsburgh's DNA
For over a decade, HERL has called Bakery Square home, making it one of the first research tenants in the area. Today, that same innovation hub, once a Nabisco factory, is powering the future of AI and robotics for human good.
From MEBot, a self-leveling wheelchair capable of climbing curbs, to air-driven mobility devices that allow people to enjoy water sports without charging batteries, HERL has continually pushed the boundaries of what’s possible.
Now, RAMMP will take that spirit global, while creating new workforce and manufacturing opportunities across Pennsylvania.
From MEBot, a self-leveling wheelchair capable of climbing curbs, to air-driven mobility devices that allow people to enjoy water sports without charging batteries, HERL has continually pushed the boundaries of what’s possible.
Now, RAMMP will take that spirit global, while creating new workforce and manufacturing opportunities across Pennsylvania.
A Model for the Future of AI in Healthcare
RAMMP’s potential extends beyond mobility. By integrating AI to model, adapt, and respond to the environment, it demonstrates how AI-driven robotics can reshape healthcare, not by replacing humans, but by amplifying human ability.
It’s the same vision that Pittsburgh’s leaders outlined at the recent AI Horizons Summit 2025: AI as a tool for empowerment, accessibility, and shared prosperity.
“This is more than a device,” said Cooper. “It’s a platform for independence, and it’s being built right here in Pittsburgh.”
It’s the same vision that Pittsburgh’s leaders outlined at the recent AI Horizons Summit 2025: AI as a tool for empowerment, accessibility, and shared prosperity.
“This is more than a device,” said Cooper. “It’s a platform for independence, and it’s being built right here in Pittsburgh.”
Key Takeaways: Why It Matters
- $41.5 Million Federal Investment: Funded by ARPA-H to accelerate breakthroughs in human mobility and assistive robotics.
- Pitt & CMU Partnership: Leveraging Pittsburgh’s twin strengths in healthcare and AI.
- AI-Powered Design: Digital twin simulations and adaptive robotics built for real-world challenges.
- Economic & Workforce Impact: Creating new manufacturing and tech opportunities across Pennsylvania.
- A Global Model for Accessible Innovation: Demonstrating how AI can empower people with disabilities, not just in labs, but in daily life.
Pittsburgh: Building the Future, Together
From nuclear energy to finance to healthcare, AI is transforming every corner of Pittsburgh’s economy, and RAMMP is proof that this revolution is human-centered at its core.
As Governor Josh Shapiro said at the AI Horizons Summit, “The revolution coming with AI is going to be a revolution much like others, agriculture, industrial, and its roots are firmly planted right here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
That future is unfolding now, at Bakery Square, in a lab filled with robotic wheelchairs, and in a city that never stops reinventing itself.
As Governor Josh Shapiro said at the AI Horizons Summit, “The revolution coming with AI is going to be a revolution much like others, agriculture, industrial, and its roots are firmly planted right here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
That future is unfolding now, at Bakery Square, in a lab filled with robotic wheelchairs, and in a city that never stops reinventing itself.
In the news:
‘We are redesigning everything from the ground up’: Pitt gets $41.5M to build a better wheelchair
University of Pittsburgh Kicks off Project to Imagine a Better Wheelchair
Pitt Lab launches 42M project to merge latest in wheelchair, robotic arm tech
Pitt lab awarded up to $41.5M to develop robotic wheelchair
HERL researchers will lead a $41M ARPA-H grant, a first for Pitt
