Photos: Innovation on display at SRI

SRI's robotic surgical system was the first to be cleared by the FDA in the 1990s. Surgeons in the United States, Asia and Europe use the minimally invasive system to help patients recover faster. SRI spun off Intuitive Surgical in 1995.

Nancy Griffin, a senior security receptionist, greets visitors to SRI's Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters in festive attire.

Regis Vincent, senior computer scientist at SRI's Artificial Intelligence Center, stands in his office at SRI surrounded by robots. His team is working on a robot-to-human interface that could work in controlling a force of autonomous robots, or Centibots, in situations like search and rescue missions or security work. "We want to be able to talk to this robot and say, 'Now go and do what I want you to do.' And it captures your intention," he said.