At IA Lab our main goal is to collaborate in the development of theory and algorithms to build “intelligent” machines. We foresee the rise of a new generation of computer based machines able to operate with a high degree of autonomy in natural and virtual environments. Autonomous robots able to operate in natural environments or pro-active computer programs designed for automatic knowledge extraction from data, are examples of a new generation of “intelligent” machines. The creation of these machines requires the development of new algorithms, representations, and knowledge acquisition tools. Also, operation in real environments needs advanced perception systems, such as computer vision techniques. Finally, pro-active machines can only be built if suitable decision systems are implemented. Our group approaches these challenges with theoretical and applied research on four main areas: Cognitive Robotics, Explainable Artificial Intelligence, Meta Learning, and Visual and Textual Recognition.