My research focuses on the coordination and control of dynamic physical systems, both natural and human-made and explores techniques that may someday allow robots and animated creatures to plan and control their actions in complex and unpredictable environments while interacting with humans. To make progress toward this goal, I have active projects in computer graphics, human-robot interaction and humanoid robotics.
My current computer graphics research focuses on generating human motion for computer animation. We have explored a number of techniques: using control algorithms in combination with physically realistic simulation, re-sequencing and interpolating motion capture clips, capturing skin and muscle deformations, and most recently data-driven simulations. In human-robot interaction, I am interested in determining which elements of human motion and behavior must be mimicked to facilitate natural interactions. In humanoid robotics, we are exploring control techniques for our Sarcos humanoid robot with the goal of producing natural looking motion.
