Cang Ye, Ph.D., has been selected for induction as a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), an elite group that comprises the top two percent of medical and biological engineers nationally.

Ye is a professor in the Department of Computer Science in the VCU College of Engineering. He will be the 13th VCU Engineering faculty member to be inducted into the AIMBE College of Fellows. 

Members of the College of Fellows and peers selected Ye for his outstanding contributions to development of assistive technologies for people with visual impairments. His research in computerized localization and mapping systems, 3D computer vision and robotics has led to innovative health care applications. 

Ye’s work in assistive robotics for people with visual impairments is internationally recognized. His inventions include RoboCane, which optimizes the traditional white cane by responding to voice commands and assessing user intent to guide users to their desired location. Ye is also the inventor of a wearable robotic object-manipulation aid that helps users locate and grasp objects they cannot see.

“I am truly honored to be elected an AIMBE fellow. Since 2010, I have focused my research efforts on developing robotic assistive devices for the visually impaired. This peer recognition makes it an extremely rewarding experience. I want to thank my team members and collaborators for making so many things possible during this research journey. I am also grateful for the supportive environment of VCU College of Engineering,” Ye said. 

The 2021 class of the AIMBE College of Fellows will be formally inducted on March 26, during the organization’s annual meeting. The meeting and ceremony will be held virtually this year because of the global pandemic.