Eric Schwartz of University of Florida

Eric Schwartz, the acting chair of this group, will solicit ideas for this group future activities.

Biography:

Eric M. Schwartz
Instructional Professor (Master Lecturer)
Director, Machine Intelligence Laboratory
University of Florida, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Gainesville FL   32611

He received two bachelor’s degrees, one in Electrical Engineering and one in Mechanical Engineering, at the University of Florida in 1984. He received his master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 1989 and 1995, respectively. Dr. Schwartz is now Director of the Machine Intelligence Lab (MIL), and has been working, first as a student and then a faculty researcher, at MIL since 1984. Dr. Schwartz has been teaching at the University of Florida as a faculty member since 1995. In August 2008, Dr. Schwartz became the first Master Lecturer in the University of Florida’s College of Engineering.

With degrees in both Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Schwartz is particularly qualified for work in robotics. His research in the mathematics and control of robotic manipulators and his recent work with Autonomous Mobile Agents is testament to his wide-ranging capabilities. Since 1995, as a faculty member in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department at UF, Dr. Schwartz has taught a wide range of ECE courses including Circuits 1, Circuits 2, Digital Logic & Computer Systems, Digital Design, Microprocessor Applications, Intelligent Machine Design Laboratory, and Kinematics and Dynamics of Robot Manipulators. Prior to 1995, Dr. Schwartz taught or assisted in teaching a robotics course in Italy and two mechanical engineering courses: Machine Analysis and Design 1 and Dynamics. Dr. Schwartz worked at the Electronic Communications Laboratory (ECL) at the University of Florida from 1989-1995. He has also had working stints at Allen-Bradley Corporation, IBM, Bendix Avionics and Universal Security Instruments.

As a faculty member at UF, Dr. Schwartz has organized a multitude of team projects including IEEE SouthEastCon Hardware Design teams since 2002, three national ION Robotic Lawn Mower Competition teams, all 27 of the UF robotic submarine teams (see http://SubjuGator.org/) since 1998, a small UF robotic boat teams from 2013-2015, and a large robot boat team in 2016, 2018, and 2022. The submarines compete in the international RoboSub competitions, organized and primarily sponsored by RoboNation and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsored. The small boats compete in the international RoboBoat competitions, also organized by RoboNation and ONR. The large boats compete in the international Maritime RobotX Challenge, also organized by RoboNation and ONR. Dr. Schwartz’s IEEE team won the 2002 SoutEastCon robot competition and his UF robot lawn mower team won the 2011 static competition. His submarine teams won the three robot submarine competitions (in 2005, 2006, and 2007), and have earned first, second or third place in eleven of the 25 competitions. Dr. Schwartz’s first robot boat team (see http://PropaGator.org/) won the 2013 RoboBoat competition and his second boat team earned second place in 2014. In 2016, Dr. Schwartz’s NaviGator AMS (Autonomous Maritime Challenge) boat and team (see www.NaviGatorUF.org) earned first place in the Maritime RobotX Challenge in Oahu, Hawaii. The 2018 NaviGator team earned fourth place. The 2022 NaviGator team competed in Sydney, Australia. 

Starting in 2006, Dr. Schwartz became involved in the DARPA Urban Grand Challenge team at UF (see http://cimar.mae.ufl.edu/gatornation/) and is continuing to work with the faculty and students on this robot car and other associated projects in CIMAR (Center for Intelligent Machines and Robotics). Students from his Machine Intelligence Lab have been in several key positions on the team including lead electronics designer, lead behavior specialist, and several others in support capacities. CIMAR students are similarly involved in MIL projects.

Dr. Schwartz regularly gives tours and presentations to guests of UF.  Some of the demonstrations are for grade or middle school students, some are for potential UF students now in high school or community college, others are for college students looking for a graduate school, and still others are for VIPs including faculty from other universities, teachers from grades 1-12, industry representatives, university administrators, politicians and their staffs, and alumni.

Dr. Schwartz was honored to earn both the 2002-2003 University of Florida Teacher of the Year Award and the University of Florida College of Engineering 2002-2003 Teacher of the Year Award. He was also awarded the University of Florida IEEE and HKN 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year and the 2022-2023 Faculty of the Year, both by students of the UF ECE Department. Dr. Schwartz was selected for the 2023-2024 UF College of Engineering’s Undergraduate Faculty Advisor/Mentor of the Year Award.

Email:

Address:1889 Museum Rd # 3110, Malachowsky Hall, Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32611