Karl D. D. Willis

Carnegie Mellon University, Autodesk (United States)

Papers

Total Citations

103

H-Index

About

Karl D. D. Willis is a leading researcher at the intersection of digital fabrication, human-computer interaction, and automated assembly. His work is defined by a visionary approach to embedding intelligence directly into physical objects and processes. Willis is best known for pioneering "InfraStructs" (2013, 85 citations), a groundbreaking concept that uses Terahertz imaging to embed hidden, material-based tags inside 3D-printed objects. This work opened a new frontier for secure data storage and anti-counterfeiting within the fabrication process itself, demonstrating how digital information can be seamlessly integrated into physical form. More recently, he has tackled the grand challenge of automated assembly with "ASAP: Automated Sequence Planning for Complex Robotic Assembly with Physical Feasibility" (2024, 18 citations). This work introduces a physics-based planning approach that enables robots to autonomously determine and execute feasible sequences for assembling complex, general-shaped products. By bridging the gap between digital design and physical construction, Willis’s research continues to shape the future of how we design, fabricate, and interact with the built world.