Welcoming All Students to Robotics

RASTIC is a collaborative workspace and community that houses the tools, materials, guidance, and industry connections needed by students to grow their skills and innovate in robotics.

State-of-the-Art. Hands-On. Incubating Innovation.

"Perhaps the most modern hands-on robotics facility I have seen in a university."
Jon Hirschtick, founder of Solidworks and Onshape

 

RASTIC opened in March 2024 through a $9M capital investment from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, and Boston University.

At RASTIC, students develop real-world robotics skills through access to advanced tools, community events, and a collaborative and nurturing workspace. They design, build, and test robots ranging from simple consumer devices to GPU-fueled, AI-powered marvels. Aerial and ground-based robots can navigate dynamic landscapes with Hollywood-grade motion-capture and a world-first video floor. Students in medicine, Industry 4.0, and beyond can custom-mold silicone to create the flexible robots needed in these rapidly emerging sectors.

Located at the heart of Boston University's "Innovation Alley", RASTIC eliminates side quests to streamline the robotics innovation process by empowering students to develop, prototype, test, and iterate on their ideas. They can then walk down the street to the Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC) to manufacture larger parts before heading next door to Innovate@BU to develop their business plan and bring their product to market.

Whether applying knowledge gained in a course, pursuing a passion project outside the curriculum, or launching the next generation of robots, RASTIC provides access to robotics innovation for all students.

Center Size

2,000 sq ft
Female student working with robots hand so it can hold an object, while other students work on controlling other aspects of the robot

Funds to Construct & Equip

$ 8.8 Million

Who We Serve

Made in RASTIC™

Over our brief history, RASTIC has already birthed several award-winning projects.
Will yours be next?

Upcoming Events

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MechE Final Oral Defense: Yuanzhi Li

Day: Wednesday Sep 24th Time: 9:30am - 11:30am ENG 245, 110 Cummington Mall
RASTIC

Fundamentals of Soft Robotics

Day: Wednesday Sep 24th Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm RASTIC 730 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 128
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MechE PhD Final Oral Defense: Hun Chan (Bryan) Lee

Day: Friday Sep 26th Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm CDS 1101, 665 Commonwealth Ave
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Rescheduled for October 10: MechE Seminar Series | Month of AI in Materials: Kick-Off Event Research Matchmaking

Day: Friday Sep 26th Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm ENG 245 110 Cummington Mall
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MechE PhD Prospectus Defense: Adam Rozman

Day: Wednesday Oct 1st Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm EMA 205, 730 Commonwealth Ave
Career Development Events ENG Home

Engineering, Computing, Data Science, and Biotech Career Fair

Day: Wednesday Oct 8th Time: 12:00pm - 4:00pm George Sherman Union
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MechE PhD Prospectus Defense: Amani Campbell

Day: Friday Nov 14th Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm EMB 105, 15 St. Mary's Street

RASTIC in the News