PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Generative Evolutionary Search with Diffusion Models for Trajectory Optimization

NSH 4305

Abstract: Diffusion models excel at modeling complex and multimodal trajectory distributions for decision-making and control. Reward-gradient guided denoising has been recently proposed to generate trajectories that maximize both a differentiable reward function and the likelihood under the data distribution captured by a diffusion model. Reward-gradient guided denoising requires a differentiable reward function fitted to both [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Tartancalib: Iterative Wide-Angle Lens Calibration

GHC 8115

Abstract: Mobile vision systems greatly benefit from the large field-of-view enabled by wide-angle lenses. Accurate and robust intrinsic calibration is a critical prerequisite for leveraging this property. Calibrating wide-angle lenses with current state-of-the-art techniques yields poor results due to extreme distortion at the edge. In this work, we present TartanCalib, an accurate and robust method [...]

PhD Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Sample-Efficient Reinforcement Learning with applications in Nuclear Fusion

NSH 4305

Abstract: In many practical applications of reinforcement learning (RL), it is expensive to observe state transitions from the environment. In the problem of plasma control for nuclear fusion, the motivating example of this thesis, determining the next state for a given state-action pair requires querying an expensive transition function which can lead to many hours [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

[MSR Thesis Talk] Neural Implicit Representations for Medical Ultrasound Volumes and 3D Anatomy-specific Reconstructions

GHC 4405

Abstract: Most Robotic Ultrasound Systems (RUSs) equipped with ultrasound-interpreting algorithms rely on building 3D reconstructions of the entire scanned region or specific anatomies. These 3D reconstructions are typically created via methods that compound or stack 2D tomographic ultrasound images using known poses of the ultrasound transducer with the latter requiring 2D or 3D segmentation. While fast, this class [...]

PhD Thesis Defense
Extern
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Social Navigation with Pedestrian Groups

NSH 4305

Abstract: Autonomous navigation in human crowds (i.e., social navigation) presents several challenges: The robot often needs to rely on its noisy sensors to identify and localize pedestrians in human crowds; the robot needs to plan efficient paths to reach its goals; the robot needs to do so in a safe and socially appropriate manner. Recent [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Zero-Shot Video Question Answering with Procedural Programs

GHC 6121

Abstract: We propose to answer zero-shot questions about videos by generating short procedural programs that derive a final answer from solving a sequence of visual subtasks. We present Procedural Video Querying (ProViQ), which uses a large language model to generate such programs from an input question and an API of visual modules in the prompt, [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
MSR Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

[MSR Thesis Talk] Enhancing RHex Robot Performance with Innovative Bioplastic Legs Responsive to Humidity

GHC 4405

Abstract: Designing and developing robots that can effectively navigate real-world environments poses a significant challenge. To overcome this, many robotic systems draw inspiration from the adaptive behaviors of animals, which have evolved to thrive in diverse surroundings. Amphibious animals, for instance, seamlessly transition between walking and swimming, optimizing their locomotion efficiency based on environmental cues. [...]

PhD Thesis Proposal
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Informative Path Planning Toward Autonomous Real-World Applications

GHC 8102

Abstract: Gathering information from the physical world plays a crucial role in many applications—whether it be scientific research, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, defense, or disaster response. The utilization of robots for information gathering allows for the leveraging of intelligent algorithms to efficiently collect data, providing critical insights and facilitating informed decision-making. These autonomous robots [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Alignment for Vision-Language Foundation Model

NSH 3305

Abstract: Recent advancements in vision-language foundation models, exemplified by GPT4-Vision and DALL-E 3, have significantly transformed both research and practical applications, ranging from professional assistance to content creation. However, aligning them precisely with specific user goals presents a notable challenge. This thesis introduces innovative strategies for improving this alignment. I will first introduce our novel [...]

PhD Thesis Proposal
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Efficient Sensor Coverage in Complex Environments

Abstract: This thesis develops sensor coverage algorithms for mobile robots that are scalable to large and complex environments. The core challenge is computing the shortest paths that can direct one or more robots to sweep onboard sensors over all accessible surfaces within an environment. This problem resembles the watchman route problem that is known to [...]