Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Robert McCartney’s research lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence education, evolutionary robotics, and multi-robot systems. He is best known for co-leading Project MLeXAI, which created reusable, game-based curricula for AI classrooms—his most-cited paper (31 citations) demonstrates how games can make machine learning concepts tangible for students. In evolutionary robotics, McCartney introduced a cost term in fitness functions to enable co-evolution of robot controllers and structures, a foundational contribution to managing complexity in automated design (15 citations). His early work on small robot projects (8 citations) helped establish best practices for integrating robotics into computer science and engineering education, addressing hardware accessibility and cooperative learning. McCartney also advanced multi-robot systems through research on random sampling and parameter estimation, showing how multiple autonomous robots can efficiently estimate environmental properties (3 citations). His 1998 guide on small robot projects remains a practical resource for educators. With a career spanning curriculum innovation, evolutionary design, and swarm robotics, McCartney’s work has shaped how AI and robotics are taught and researched, bridging theory and hands-on application.