Hyundai Motor Group and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) have entered the seventh year of their research partnership. The 2026–27 program, titled Regeneration Studio, focuses on the theme Motion Rewild, which examines how nature adapts to extreme environments.
The collaboration involves RISD faculty, students, and designers from Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia. Participants study biomimicry and biodesign to develop sustainable materials, manufacturing methods, and mobility services. The research aims to apply natural principles to circular design.
The current curriculum includes two advanced studio courses and summer research opportunities. These include nine-day intensives for Hyundai teams and five-week fellowships for selected designers and engineers at the Edna W. Lawrence Nature Lab.
The program also investigates physical AI mobility, specifically robots designed to operate in unstructured spaces like disaster sites. Researchers aim to decode natural motion principles to create more resilient and responsive technologies for the mobility industry.
