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About

Tariq Tashtoush is a robotics and systems engineering researcher whose work spans human-robot interaction, autonomous search algorithms, and space robotics. He is perhaps best known for his contributions to human-robot collaboration, most notably a cost-effective RGB-D camera-based system that precisely tracks operator positioning relative to robotic manipulators in automated manufacturing environments — his most-cited work, garnering 21 citations since 2021. This research represents a meaningful step forward in making industrial human-robot collaboration both safer and more accessible. A significant thread running through Tashtoush's career is his engagement with NASA-affiliated competitions, where he has led and mentored student engineering teams at Texas A&M International University. His group, DustySWARM, developed multiple innovative swarm search algorithms — including the SpiralEpicycloidal Wave, Square Spiral Search, and Reverse-Twister approaches — designed for cooperative Mars exploration robots. Separately, his DustyTRON team engineered space mining robot prototypes for NASA's Robotic Mining Competition, applying rigorous systems engineering principles to real-world extraterrestrial challenges. With a body of work that bridges theoretical algorithm design and hands-on robotics development, Tashtoush has demonstrated a consistent commitment to preparing the next generation of engineers for cutting-edge aerospace and automation challenges.