RoboTwin Wins Best Demo Award at ACM HotMobile 2025
RoboTwin, technology that could enable human workers to seamlessly collaborate in real time with robotic systems from anywhere in the world over non-specialized networks, earned the Best Demo Award at HotMobile 2025. ECE Assistant Professor Mallesham Dasari oversees the RoboTwin project at Northeastern.
RoboTwin, a project led by ECE Assistant Professor Mallesham Dasari, earned the Best Demo Award at HotMobile 2025, one of the most prestigious conferences in mobile computing and wireless networking.
The research represents a significant step toward a future in which human workers seamlessly collaborate in real time with robotic systems from across the globe over non-specialized networks.
Dasari’s team included Zhewen Yang, PhD’29, computer engineering, Guodong Chen, PhD’29, computer engineering, Mayank Chadha, MS’25, cyber-physical systems, and Barath Balamurugan, MS’26, robotics.
The RoboTwin demonstration at HotMobile 2025 showcased an innovative Extended Reality (XR) interface that allows users to control and interact with robotic systems remotely. At the La Quinta, Calif. event, a team member wore a Meta Quest 3 XR headset and successfully operated a six-degree-of-freedom (6 DoF) robotic arm located in Boston over a standard internet connection. Unlike existing remote robotic systems that require specialized low-latency networks, RoboTwin’s infrastructure is designed to function on widely available broadband networks, making it a viable solution for large-scale industrial and commercial applications.
RoboTwin has the potential to impact multiple industries, including industrial automation, where it could enable remote operation and maintenance of robotic machinery, minimizing downtime and reducing travel costs for technicians. The manufacturing sector can benefit from remote workforce training via RoboTwin, which would allow operators to gain hands-on experience with robotic systems in a virtual environment before working with physical equipment. In healthcare, the system could facilitate robotic-assisted procedures and training for medical professionals in remote locations. Additionally, RoboTwin’s capabilities could be applied in hazardous environments, such as space exploration, nuclear facilities, and disaster response, where human workers need to interact with robots in high-risk areas.