Catie Cuan

Catie Cuan is a roboticist and choreographer whose research brings dance into human-robot interaction. She returned to academic research through a robotics and dance residency at the University of Illinois, then completed a Stanford PhD and explored learning-based robot behavior at Everyday Robots. Her work includes expressive robotic systems, Music Mode, which pairs robot movement with sound, and Breathless, an eight-hour duet with an industrial robot arm. In May 2025, her project Manifold was scheduled for a Stanford Live showcase during her Exploratorium residency; its robot hand uses AI to learn how to endear itself to visitors. As of October 2026, she is building a company in AI and robotics.

Now at: Stanford University
Works: 23
Citations: 127
h-index: 7

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 19 October 2026.

Timeline

2017

Choreography in robotics

In 2017, she coauthors a paper that frames choreography as central to the design and placement of robots in human-facing settings.
By 2018

From dance to robotics

By 2018, an artistic residency at the University of Illinois's Robotics, Automation and Dance Lab brings her back to academic research and leads her to apply for graduate study in mechanical engineering and robotics. Before graduate school, she works in consulting, dance performance and choreography, and client web design.
2022

Imitation learning at Everyday Robots

By 2022, she is a final-year PhD candidate in mechanical engineering at Stanford and the inaugural artist-in-residence at Everyday Robots; she uses imitation learning to teach robots tasks in human-friendly environments.
June 2023

A Stanford robotics doctorate

In June 2023, she earns a PhD in mechanical engineering at Stanford after undergraduate studies in business and theater, dance and performance studies at UC Berkeley and a Stanford Master of Science.
2023

Making robot motion musical

In 2023, she coauthors Music Mode, a system that maps robot joint movement to sound; observers perceive the robot as safer, more animate, intelligent, anthropomorphic, and likable when it plays music.
2024

Breathless, an eight-hour duet

In 2024, she coauthors a technical account of Breathless, an eight-hour performance pairing a human dancer with an industrial robot arm over a workday.
May 2025

Manifold at Stanford Live

In May 2025, Manifold is scheduled for a Stanford Live robotics showcase; the project grows from her two-year Exploratorium residency and explores human-robot connection and empathy. The robot hand uses AI to learn how to endear itself to visitors, and she is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Stanford Robotics Center.
As of October 2026

Building an AI and robotics company

As of October 2026, she is building a company in the AI and robotics space.