2026 Midwest Robotics Workshop (MWRW)
June 11–12, 2026
Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago6045 S. Kenwood Avenue (map)
Chicago, IL 60637
Overview
The robotics field is experiencing tremendous growth as a result of algorithmic and technological advances, the availability of common, low-cost sensors and platforms, and a standardization in open-source development. These factors together with the growing community of talented, highly-trained roboticists combine to render feasible real-world applications in our homes and workplaces, and on our streets.
The Midwest Robotics Workshop (MWRW) is intended to bring together roboticists from academia and industry in and around the Midwestern United States. Building on successful workshops in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2024 and 2025 it is an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to share their work with others and to network, with the goal of creating a more cohesive and vibrant robotics community in the Midwest. The workshop will feature invited talks by leading researchers, and an exciting collection of oral presentations and interactive poster sessions.
If you have any questions, please contact the organizers.
Call for Participation
We invite all roboticists from the Midwest (broadly interpreted) to participate in the Midwest Robotics Workshop to be held at the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (TTIC) on the University of Chicago campus (map) on June 11–12, 2026.
We encourage participants to use the workshop as an opportunity to present recent research either as a talk or during an interactive poster session. If you are interested in presenting, please submit a title and abstract summarizing your work. Since the workshop does not have published proceedings, abstracts that describe work that was previously published or is still in progress are welcome.
Invited Speakers
MWRW 2026 will feature talks by senior researchers, early-career faculty, and students. Some of the confirmed speakers include:
Important Dates
| May 10, 2026* | Registration and Abstract Submission Deadline (Register here) |
| May 10, 2026 | Student Lodging Grant Application Deadline (Apply here) |
| June 11–12, 2026 | Workshop |
*Note: Registration will close early if we reach maximum capacity.
Program
The workshop will start Thursday morning and will conclude with lunch on Friday. We will post the exact schedule closer to the start of the workshop.
Awards
MWRW 2026 will feature a Best Poster Award. Winners will be announced at the end of the workshop.
Accommodations
There are several hotels nearby the University of Chicago campus in Hyde Park, where TTIC is located. These include:
- The Study (a five minute walk from TTIC)
- Hyatt Place Chicago-South
- Sophy Hotel
See this list for more options, including hotels in downtown Chicago.
Lodging Grants: We will provide a limited number of grants for student lodging at a nearby hotel for the night of June 11. Please see the Registration section for information on how to apply.
Parking: Free parking is available in the commuter parking lot at 60th St. and Stony Island Ave. and free street parking on many streets near TTIC (just beware of "permit parking" and "street cleaning" signs!). Parking can be found on 61st Street (between Woodlawn Ave and Blackstone Ave), on Dorchester Street (between 60th and 61st Streets).
Registration
Registration: If you are interested in presenting your work as a poster or talk, or would like to simply attend the workshop, please sign up here. There is no cost to register. Please note that the schedule is pretty tight, so we may not be able to honor every presentation request.
Lodging Grants: We are awarding a limited number of lodging grants for students from outside the Chicagoland area who would like to attend. The grants will provide a one-night stay at a nearby hotel on June 11. Please fill out this form if you would like to apply.
Organizers
Kathryn Daltorio (Case Western Reserve University)
Ram Vasudevan (University of Michigan)
Matthew Walter (TTIC)
Last modified: March 26 2026 07:12:55