Yoky Matsuoka, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, was awarded the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's "genius grant" Thursday for her groundbreaking research into neurobotics.

The $500,000 award came as a surprise to Matsuoka, who neither applied nor had any idea she was nominated for the prestigious prize.

"I want to do something different from the mainstream research I've been doing," she said. "There are things I can do to affect people now. The goal of my research is to ... assist and rehabilitate human movement using robot technology."

Matsuoka is the director of the UW Neurobotics Laboratory, which creates robots to aid people with physical disabilities. One of her noted accomplishments is a prosthetic limb with advanced mobility.

Despite her breakthrough research and inventions, Matsuoka holds that one of her greatest accomplishments is convincing the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an organization which exclusively funds medical research, to fund robotic activities.

"No other robotics people have tried to get funding this way," she said.

Acclaimed though she is, Matsuoka doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon. She and her team seek to make lifelike robots that engage in a variety of human activities for many purposes, including elderly healthcare, household assistance and companionship.

"I originally wanted to have a humanoid robot to play tennis with me," she said, although she admitted the possibility may be many years in the future.

The award is a huge distinction for her. MacArthur grants are awarded each year to candidates who show "exceptional creativity in their field and the prospect for still more in the future."

"What's different about Yoky is that she's a mechanical engineer, neuroscientist, bioengineer, robotics expert and computer scientist, all in one," said Matthew O'Donnell, dean of the UW's College of Engineering, in a statement. "She has the ability to see what is possible by combining all these disciplines."

[Reach reporter Jeff Tripoli at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]