Odest Chadwicke Jenkins facts for kids

Odest Chadwicke Jenkins (born 1975) is an American computer scientist. He is a professor at the University of Michigan. Professor Jenkins studies how humans and computers work together. He also designs robots that can learn by watching people.

In 2006, he received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. This is a special award for young scientists. In 2019, he became a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This means he is recognized as a leading scientist.

Becoming a Scientist

Early Interests

When Odest Chadwicke Jenkins was a kid, he loved playing games on his Atari console. He dreamed of becoming a video game designer. This early interest in technology led him to study computers.

College and University

Jenkins went to Alma College to study computer science and math. While there, he helped set up the very first web server for the college in 1997. After Alma College, he continued his studies at Georgia Tech. There, he worked on computer models of basketball players.

Later, he went to the University of Southern California for his advanced studies. He focused on "humanoid agents," which are robots that look and act like humans. He earned his doctorate degree in 2003.

Robot Research and Career

Starting His Career

In 2004, Professor Jenkins became a professor at Brown University. He continued his work on robots. In 2006, he won the Presidential Early Career Award for his research. This award recognized his work on making robots control themselves and understand their surroundings.

He also created a special system called a Robot Operating System (ROS) repository. This system helps other scientists use his robot designs more easily. In 2013, he was named a National Geographic explorer.

Joining the University of Michigan

In 2015, Professor Jenkins moved to the University of Michigan. He became a professor in their Robotics Institute. He continues to lead exciting research there.

How Robots Learn

Professor Jenkins focuses on something called "Robot Learning from Demonstration" (LfD). This means robots learn by watching a person do something. Instead of being told every single step, the robot watches and then tries to copy.

For example, he taught a robot to do the "Cabbage Patch" dance. The robot watched the dance moves and then tried to do them itself. This helps robots learn complex tasks more naturally.

Professor Jenkins also uses special computer methods to help robots understand movements. He has shown how LfD can help control humanoid robots. It can also help control artificial limbs (prosthetics) and track human movements using cameras.

Robots Helping People

Professor Jenkins wants to make high-quality robots available to more people. He gave a TED Talk with Henry Evans, a man who was paralyzed by a stroke. They showed how robots can improve people's lives.

Jenkins even created a quadrotor drone for Henry Evans. This drone allowed Evans to see places he couldn't reach on his own. It helped him explore the world in a new way.

Encouraging Diversity

Professor Jenkins believes that more people from all backgrounds should get involved in robotics. He works to make sure everyone has equal chances in education and science. He has supported students from groups that are often underrepresented in technology. He also helped organize a conference for African-Americans in math and science.

Awards and Honours

• 2006 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
• 2011 Popular Science Brilliant 10
• 2013 National Geographic Emerging Explorer
• 2015 Brown University Karen T. Romer Prize for Undergraduate Advising and Mentoring
• 2017 University of Michigan Trudy Huebner Service Excellence Award
• 2019 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
• 2021 Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence