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August 24, 2026
A computer science team of researchers and students within the UCF Institute for Simulation & Training (IST) has won an Auggie Award for Best Interaction Product for developing of a humanoid robotic telepresence system that allows people to interact with remote environments as if they were physically there.
The project, “Be There Without Being There: Humanoid Robot Immersive Telepresence,” was selected from more than 330 entries across 18 categories. The technology pairs a humanoid robot with an immersive digital environment and uses a real-time digital twin to map an operator’s movements onto the robot, creating the sensation of being physically present in a remote location.
The Auggie Awards are among the most recognized honors in the augmented, virtual and extended reality industry, celebrating leading innovations and achievements in immersive technology. The award was presented at Augmented World Expo (AWE USA) 2026, held June 15-18 at the Long Beach Convention Center in California.
The team was led by Carolina Cruz-Neira, Ph.D., executive director of the Pegasus Research Institute and director of IST, and Mohsen Rakhshan, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and IST research faculty member. Student researchers included Judah Rowe, Liam Abramov, Seniah McField and Megan Bailey. Cruz-Neira also received the 2026 Auggie Award for Innovator of the Year.
The technology could eventually be used for disaster response, remote health care, infrastructure inspections and immersive experiences, allowing people to safely operate in places they cannot physically reach.
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