Today’s Ideas, Tomorrow’s Impact
Ambitious ideas take shape where disciplines intersect. Our researchers cross boundaries to pursue breakthroughs no single field could achieve alone — and build, test and apply what comes next.
Through collaboration, partnership, technology transfer and entrepreneurship, they move bold ideas forward to shape industries, strengthen society and improve lives.
Built to Solve Tomorrow’s Problems
CMU researchers work across disciplines to tackle challenges critical to our nation and the world — and where CMU’s distinctive strengths can make a difference.
Health & Biotechnology
Making healthcare more precise and less burdensome with major advances in health and biotechnology.
Robotics & Autonomous Systems
Designing some of the world’s most advanced robots and autonomous systems — with impact from the ocean to the moon.
Artificial Intelligence
Developing trustworthy, human-centered artificial intelligence that transforms science, industry and society.
Future of Work
Using data, experimentation and theory to understand how people learn — and how to prepare them for the future of work.
Building Companies and Technologies for Good
Promising ideas and breakthroughs at CMU become companies, products and technologies that benefit society. Through entrepreneurship programs, intellectual property support, licensing and industry connections, researchers have the support to move innovations from the university into the world.
Duolingo: Expanding Access to Education
Created by a CMU faculty member and alumnus, Duolingo brings free, technology-enabled learning to more than 100 million monthly users around the world.
Gecko Robotics: Making Critical Infrastructure Safer
Founded by a CMU student, Gecko Robotics uses robotics and AI to inspect critical infrastructure while reducing risk to workers.
Skild AI: Building General-Purpose AI for Robots
Co-founded by researchers at CMU’s Robotics Institute, Skild AI is building general-purpose AI that will interact with and affect change in the real world.
Meet the Office of the Vice President for Research
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) advances Carnegie Mellon’s research enterprise, working with staff and faculty researchers across the entire university. The office develops strategic partnerships with external partners; helps build interdisciplinary teams; and connects researchers with the tools, expertise and resources they need to advance ambitious work from funding and development to innovation and impact.
Research That Changes What Is Possible
CMU’s sustained investment in foundational and applied research, with support from federal funding agencies, creates breakthroughs that reshape industries, improve lives and open new possibilities.
Extending Battery Life by 10X
To combat lithium-ion battery degradation, CMU researchers developed a low-cost, activated nano-polymer layer that protects battery materials—and commercialized it through the spin-off SeaLion Energy.
Deploying Critical Battlefield Care for Warfighters
Researchers at CMU have developed a portable pulmonary assist system for extracorporeal life support, reducing complications while offering a life-saving solution for military and civilian healthcare.
Unlocking How Dangerous Bacteria Build Biofilms
A deeper understanding of biofilms (communities of bacteria) will help advance basic science and new therapies. CMU researchers developed a new platform that enables observation of the entire lifecycle of biofilms.
Moving Robotic Hands from Lab to Factory
Robots often lack the fine motor skills and precision needed for complex tasks, creating a critical gap in industrial automation. A team from CMU is testing more capable robotic hands in real-world environments.
