Faculty, staff, and students from the College of Engineering and Computer Science—joined by Otto—staffed the Energy Storage Engine booth at the 2026 New York State Fair. The team shared the NSF Engine's work in battery and energy storage innovation while showcasing the breadth of research and education happening across ECS.
Robots, Robot Dogs and Batteries Draw a Crowd at the New York State Fair
Between a robotic arm, a robot dog and Otto, the New York State Fair had a high-tech energy last Saturday. The scene was the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York booth in the Science and Industry Building, where a group of Syracuse University students, faculty and staff spent the day getting fairgoers talking about something most people carry with them every day without giving it much thought: batteries.
The demonstrations leaned into the fun side of energy storage—robots, drones and other gadgets that make battery power visible and exciting. But the underlying message was more personal. Energy storage already shapes daily life in ways that are easily overlooked, powering phones, watches, cars and homes. The fair booth was an example of the ways the Energy Storage Engine serves to make that connection concrete for the public while also working to build the industry in the region.
Syracuse University has been part of that effort since the Engine’s launch in 2024 as an inaugural Regional Innovation Engine funded by the National Science Foundation. The program is designed to establish Upstate New York as a national leader in battery research, manufacturing and workforce development. Led by Binghamton University, the coalition also includes Cornell University, the Rochester Institute of Technology and other academic, industry and government partners working across the battery industry.
Quinn Qiao, chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), leads the program at Syracuse. “Events like the New York State Fair let us meet people where they are and show them that battery science isn’t abstract—it’s already part of their daily lives, and it’s a field with real career opportunities right here in Central New York.”
Qiao says visitors to the booth were drawn to hands-on demonstrations and interactive activities. “The robot dogs were especially a big crowd-pleaser, giving visitors a fun, tangible look at our ECS innovations. Families with school-age kids lingered at the interactive stations, and visitors asked about ECS academic programs and the Engine batteries, and how to get involved and connected.”
The Energy Storage Engine booth will remain open through Monday, Sept. 7, which is the last day of the fair.
