About Us
Welcome to the Human Centered Robotics (HCR) Lab — where technology and human potential come together to change lives!
At HCR, we’re passionate about creating innovative robotic solutions that empower, assist, and uplift people. From versatile programmable robotic arms with 5 and 6 degrees of freedom — ready for tasks like spraying, welding, or precision pick-and-place — to groundbreaking wearable exoskeletons and advanced prosthetic devices, we’re pushing the limits of what’s possible.
Our passive exoskeletons combine ingenious engineering and smart design to help users lift heavy loads effortlessly. Our active exoskeletons feature both admittance and impedance modes, opening exciting new frontiers in physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and human augmentation.
We’re also proud to pioneer next-generation prosthetics: our knee prosthesis for above-knee amputees uses a virtual constraint algorithm (developed by Dr. Ali Raza) to mimic natural knee motion, while our ankle prosthesis uses cutting-edge actuators and precise control to replicate ankle torque and support fluid, confident walking.
At HCR Lab, we believe in a future where humans and robots grow, thrive, and break barriers together — and we’re thrilled to be part of building it. Whether you’re a researcher, collaborator, or simply curious, we invite you to join us on this exciting journey!
Our Team
Dr Ali Raza
Principal Investigator
Associate Professor of Mechatronics at UET Lahore, Pakistan; Director of the Human Centered Robotics Lab (part of NCRA), pioneering local development of collaborative robots, exoskeletons, and active prostheses. Founder of IHYA Lab for Mechatronics and Resuscitation Research, advancing CPR devices, simulators, and motion-capture techniques in partnership with HMC Qatar. Ph.D. in Robotics and Artificial Immune Systems from The University of Texas at Austin (Fulbright Scholar). Research spans human-centered robotics, robot heterogeneity, bio-inspiration, and intelligent systems, with expertise in Matlab, Simulink, C++, LabVIEW, and industrial automation.
Dr Mohsin Rizwan
Co Principal Investigator
Dr Mohsin did his BSs in mechanical engineering from UET Lahore and joined industry. Due to interest in research and development, he changed his career towards academia and did his MS and PhD from University of Texas at Arlington in 2011. He served UT Arlington as Teaching Fellow and research associate and joined General Electric in 2012. He left General Electric and joined UET Lahore as Assistant Professor in 2013. His interest include Mechanical Design, analysis, System modeling and Classical and Advanced Control Techniques. Currently he is serving Mechatronics Department of UET as Associate Professor. He has won three research grants. Qualification: B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering UET, Lahore
Muhummad Rzi Abbas
Co Principal Investigator
I am a Robotics Specialist and Lecturer at the Mechatronics & Control Engineering Department, UET Lahore, and a Research Scholar at the Human-Centered Robotics Lab, where I focus on developing lightweight robots using the EtherCAT protocol. With expertise in robotics design, automation, machine vision, programming, and curriculum development, I bring a strong background in engineering solutions and academic leadership. My work spans successful contributions to automation projects and deep engagement with cutting-edge technologies. As an educator, I am passionate about empowering students and making quality education accessible globally through my YouTube channel, Learning Orbis, where I share knowledge from leading universities. I thrive in dynamic, collaborative environments and am always eager to explore opportunities that push the boundaries of robotics and positively impact lives.
Dr Muhammad Ahsan
Co Principal Investigator
Dr. Muhammad Ahsan has expertise in fault-tolerant quantum computer architecture design and analysis. His major contribution is an open-source quantum computer resource-performance simulation tool called sQrIpT, which was developed under the IARPA Quantum Computer Science program. The tool has been frequently cited, utilized, and upgraded by the quantum CAD community for the optimal layout of large quantum circuits. He is also a member of the IBM quantum computing researchers program which offers access to IBM advance superconducting quantum chips for research experimentation. Recently, he has been branching out into other inter-disciplinary areas including robotics and artificial intelligence.
Muhammad Rafey Tahir
Research Assistant
Graduate engineer with a Master’s in Electrical Engineering (Control Systems) from NUST, Pakistan. Currently a Research Officer at the Human-Centered Robotics Lab, UET Lahore, developing indigenous collaborative robots. Formerly Product & Customer Excellence Officer at SkyElectric, gaining hands-on experience in solar technologies. Academic work includes research on model-free adaptive control and leading projects like a SMART Bionic Prosthetic Leg. Passionate about robotics, control systems, and emerging technologies, with strengths in both theory and practical implementation. Actively seeking PhD, academic, or industry opportunities to apply and expand technical and research expertise.
Hassan Tariq
Research Assistant
I am an electrical engineer currently pursuing my MS from UET, with hands-on experience in both industry and research environments. I have previously worked as a Junior Service Engineer at Scientific House and as a Technical Support Engineer at Integrado, gaining practical expertise in system maintenance and technical solutions. Presently, I am serving as a Research Assistant in the Human-Centered Research (HCR) Lab, where I am contributing to the development of an active exoskeleton. With a strong foundation in programming and electronics, I bring a blend of academic knowledge and real-world engineering experience to every project I undertake.
Aziz ur Rehman
Team Lead
Aziz Ur Rehman has been working as a Research Officer/Engineer at Human-Centered Robotics (HCR) lab, since its inception. He was primarily working in the domain of design and development of Collaborative Robots (Cobots). Before joining the HCR lab, he worked as a Design & Manufacturing Engineer in the field of the manufacturing industry and successfully carried out various industrial field projects. Qualification: B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering UET, Lahore
Syed Haroon Ahmad
Research Assistant
Graduate Engineer with a Bachelors in Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering from Monash University. Currently working as a Research Assistant at the IHYA lab in UET. Worked on various projects in the lab. These projects ranged from the electronic to the biomedical domain. Working on gait kinematics analysis (using motion capture data) on various individuals TUG test data to benchmark Xavor corporation's elder care robot fall risk assessment. Was involved in collecting and analysing approximately 10 hours of IMU data acquired from factory workers in Ibrahim Fibers Limited(textile factory) for human activity recognition. Current project involves making an ankle prosthesis for below knee amputation.