George Bekey

University of Southern California, CA

United States

Research Areas

Automation, Robots

Interview Synopsis

In this interview, Bekey discusses the development of his work with robotics, from medical robots to his current interest in robot ethics. Bekey also outlines his role in the creation of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.

Biography

George Bekey was born in Slovakia and immigrated to the US with his family at the age of 17. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and transferred to the University of California, Berkeley for his senior year, graduating with a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1950. Bekey then went on to receive his MS and PhD from UCLA in 1952 and 1962, respectively. He spent forty years on the engineering faculty of the University of Southern California. He has played major roles in the fields of robotic prosthetics, human robot interaction, and robot ethics. Bekey is an IEEE Life Fellow and founding member of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.