PhD Thesis Defense
Domesticating Soft Robotics Research and Development with Accessible Biomaterials
Abstract: Current trends in robotics design and engineering are typically focused on high value applications where high performance, precision, and robustness take precedence over cost, accessibility, and environmental impact. In this paradigm, the capability landscape of robotics is largely shaped by access to capital and the promise of economic return. This thesis explores an alternative [...]
Moving Lights and Cameras for Better 3D Perception of Indoor Scenes
Abstract: Decades of research on computer vision have highlighted the importance of active sensing -- where an agent controls the parameters of the sensors to improve perception. Research on active perception in the context of robotic manipulation has demonstrated many novel and robust sensing strategies involving a multitude of sensors like RGB and RGBD cameras [...]