Engineering Custom Robotics Solutions The National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) is an operating unit within Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute (RI), the world’s largest robotics research and development organization. NREC works closely with government and industry clients to develop and mature robotic technologies from concept to commercialization. A typical NREC project includes a rapid proof-of-concept demonstration followed by an in-depth development and testing phase that produces a robust prototype with intellectual property for licensing and commercialization. Throughout this process, NREC applies best practices for software development, system integration, and field testing.