MSR Thesis Defense
MSR Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Vision Model Diagnosis and Improvement Via Large Pretrained Models

Gates Hillman Center 4405

Abstract: As AI becomes increasingly pervasive in real-world applications, the deployment of machine learning models in real-world applications has underscored critical challenges in model robustness, fairness and performance. Despite significant advances, existing models often exhibit biases, fail to generalize across diverse data distributions, and struggle with unexpected input variations, leading to suboptimal or even discrimina- [...]

PhD Thesis Proposal
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Beyond Robot Safety: Adaptability and Interactivity

NSH 3002

Abstract: The deployment of autonomous robots in various areas, including transportation and human-robot collaboration, requires strong safety measures for effective interaction with the physical world. Traditional safe control algorithms work well in controlled settings but struggle to adapt to more interactive and unpredictable real-world scenarios. This thesis emphasizes the need to explore beyond traditional robot [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
MSR Student / Extern
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Indoor Localization and Mapping with 4D mmWave Imaging Radar

GHC 6501

Abstract: State estimation is a crucial component for the successful implementation of robotic systems, relying on sensors such as cameras, LiDAR, and IMUs. However, in real-world scenarios, the performance of these sensors is degraded by challenging environments, e.g. adverse weather conditions and low-light scenarios. The emerging 4D imaging radar technology is capable of providing robust perception in adverse conditions. [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
MSR Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

PIE-FRIDA: Personalized Interactive Emotion-Guided Collaborative Human-Robot Art Creation

Gates Hillman Center 4405

Abstract: The introduction of generative AI has brought about many improvements in the artistic world. It allows many individuals to create artwork via simple descriptive text prompts. This has, in particular, created an avenue for non-artistic individuals to express their thoughts through generated art. Our work focuses on how emotion can be added as an [...]

PhD Thesis Defense
Principal Research Programmer / Analyst
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Spectral Mapping using Simple Sensors

NSH 3002

Abstract: Spectral mapping holds significant importance in many exploration endeavors as it facilitates a deeper comprehension of material composition within a surveyed area. While imaging spectrometers excel in recording reflectance spectra into spectral maps, their large physical footprint, substantial power requirements, and operational intricacies render them unsuitable for integration into small rovers or resource-constrained missions. [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Simulated Encounters of the Third Kind: Scenario-Based Approach to Designing Guide Robots

Newell-Simon Hall 4305

Abstract: Navigating through unfamiliar environments is a challenging task. For people who are blind or have low vision (BLV), navigation can be particularly daunting. Guide robots are a type of service robot that can assist BLV people with navigation tasks. A significant amount of research related to guide robots has focused on technical contributions, while a [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Composing Generative and Discriminative Models for Better Generalization

NSH 3305

Abstract: Computer Vision is Correspondence, correspondence, correspondence! Inspite of the singular definition of computer vision, we still have two broad categories of approaches in the literature. Generative Models, like Stable Diffusion, learn a correspondence between image and text modality, while learning a mapping from text to image. Discriminative Models, like CLIP, on the other hand [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Lower Bounds for Moving Target Traveling Salesman Motion Planning with Obstacles

NSH 3305

Abstract: We study the problem of finding a trajectory for an agent to intercept a number of moving targets while avoiding obstacles. Applications include resupplying naval ships at sea and recharging aerial vehicles with a ground vehicle. We model the problem as an extension of the traveling salesman problem, which we refer to as the [...]

PhD Thesis Proposal
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Towards Pragmatic Time Series Intelligence

NSH 1305

Abstract: The widespread adoption of time series machine learning (ML) models faces multiple challenges involving data, modeling and evaluation. Data. Modern ML models depend on copious amounts of cohesive and reliably annotated data for training and evaluation. However, labeled data is not always available and reliable, and can also be dispersed across different locations. We [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Probabilistic 3D Multi-Object Cooperative Tracking for Autonomous Driving via Differentiable Multi-Sensor Kalman Filter

NSH 3305

Abstract: Current state-of-the-art autonomous driving vehicles mainly rely on each individual sensor system to perform perception tasks. Such a framework's reliability could be limited by occlusion or sensor failure. To address this issue, more recent research proposes using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication to share perception information with others. However, most relevant works focus only on cooperative [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Super Odometry: Selective Fusion Towards All-degraded Environments

GHC 6501

Abstract: Robust odometry is at the core of robotics and autonomous systems operating navigation, exploration, and locomotion in complex environments for a broad spectrum of applications. While great progress has been made, the robustness of the odometry system still remains a grand challenge. This talk introduces Super Odometry, an approach that leverages selective fusion to [...]

PhD Thesis Proposal
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Improved Surface Estimation for use in Virtual Fixtures during Retinal Surgery

NSH 1305

Abstract: Retinal surgery procedures require surgeons to manipulate very delicate tissues with little room for error. During epiretinal membrane surgery, to reduce chances of recurrence, surgeons may have to remove the 10 µm thick internal limiting membrane from the retinal surface. An experimental procedure to treat retinal vein occlusion is retinal vein cannulation. During this [...]

PhD Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Causal Robot Learning for Manipulation

NSH 1305

Abstract: Two decades into the third age of AI, the rise of deep learning has yielded two seemingly disparate realities. In one, massive accomplishments have been achieved in deep reinforcement learning, protein folding, and large language models. Yet, in the other, the promises of deep learning to empower robots that operate robustly in real-world environments [...]