AI Robotics Researcher Intern (Mechanical Design - Human Data Collection & Wearable Systems)

NIO • San Jose, CA

3d • $38 - $46

About The Position

We are seeking a Mechanical Design Intern to join the team at NIO to contribute to the development of our next-generation tactile-sensing hand gloves. This role is a vital part of our embodied AI initiatives, focusing on creating the hardware necessary to capture high-fidelity contact and motion data for generalist robotic training. In this role, you will focus on the mechanical architecture and sensor integration of a wearable glove designed to capture the nuances of human touch. You will work at the intersection of wearable robotics, sensor fusion, and human-centric design, ensuring that our data collection hardware is both high-performing and ergonomic. The ideal candidate will possess strong mechanical design skills supplemented by an understanding of how tactile data is utilized in modern robot learning frameworks.

Requirements

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Robotics, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, or related fields.
• Proficiency in 3D modeling and rapid prototyping techniques for wearable devices.
• Hands-on experience with sensor integration, data acquisition, and microcontroller programming (e.g., C/C++, Python
• Strong understanding of the mechanics of materials, particularly flexible or biomimetic structures.
• Demonstrated ability to implement, experiment, and iterate on research ideas, including evaluating methods through empirical results on simulated or physical robotic systems.
• Strong analytical and system-building skills, with the ability to work across simulation, learning, perception, control, and real robot deployment as part of a larger technical team.

Nice To Haves

• Prior research in developing wearable tactile interfaces, or high-resolution fingertip sensors.
• Experience with imitation learning, processing human demonstration data for robotic control.
• A strong interest in building robust, real-world robotic systems, and motivation to see research ideas validated through physical experiments rather than simulation alone.
• Track record of publications in top AI or robotics conferences (CoRL, ICRA, IROS, RSS, NeurIPS, CVPR, ICML).

Responsibilities

• Tactile Glove Development: Design and prototype wearable components for a hand glove integrated with multi-modal tactile sensors to capture pressure, shear, and vibration.
• Advanced Sensor Integration: Integrate specialized sensing technologies—such as Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG), capacitive arrays, or half-ring fingertip sensors—into flexible, wearable form factors.
• Mechanical & Material Design: Utilize soft materials and ergonomic structures to ensure the glove provides high comfort and minimal resistance to natural hand motion.
• Learning-Aware Design: Collaborate with AI researchers to optimize hardware parameters for imitation learning applications.
• A functional, wearable glove prototype featuring an integrated array of tactile sensors for multi-modal data capture.
• A technical report detailing the sensor calibration, force-sensing accuracy, and ergonomic validation of the hardware design.
• A validated hardware-in-the-loop framework demonstrating successful data collection for complex dexterous manipulation tasks.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees