Faculty Events

RI Faculty Business Meeting

Newell-Simon Hall 4305

Meeting for RI Faculty. Discussions include various department topics, policies, and procedures. Generally meets weekly.

RI Seminar
Dr. Robert Ambrose
J. Mike Walker '66 Chair Professor
Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University

Robots at the Johnson Space Center and Future Plans

1305 Newell Simon Hall

Abstract: The seminar will review a series of robotic systems built at the Johnson Space Center over the last 20 years. These will include wearable robots (exoskeletons, powered gloves and jetpacks), manipulation systems (ISS cranes down to human scale) and lunar mobility systems (human surface mobility and robotic rovers). As all robotics presentations should, this [...]

VASC Seminar
Arun Ross
Professor
Michigan State University

Biometrics in a Deep Learning World

Newell-Simon Hall 3305

Abstract: Biometrics is the science of recognizing individuals based on their physical and behavioral attributes such as fingerprints, face, iris, voice and gait. The past decade has witnessed tremendous progress in this field, including the deployment of biometric solutions in diverse applications such as border security, national ID cards, amusement parks, access control, and smartphones. [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Towards Robotic Tree Manipulation: Leveraging Graph Representations

GHC 4405

Abstract: There is growing interest in automating agricultural tasks that require intricate and precise interaction with specialty crops, such as trees and vines. However, developing robotic solutions for crop manipulation remains a difficult challenge due to complexities involved in modeling their deformable behavior. In this study, we present a framework for learning the deformation behavior [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Tracking Any”Thing” in Videos

NSH 3001

Abstract: Being able to track anything is one of the fundamental steps to parse and understand a video. In this talk, I will present two pieces of work that tackle this problem at different spatial granularities. In the first half of the talk, I will discuss tracking any video pixel or particle through time in [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Exploring Diverse Interaction Types for Human in the Loop Robot Learning

NSH 4305

Abstract: Teaching sessions between humans and robots will need to be maximally informative for optimal robot learning and to ease the human’s teaching burden. However, the bulk of prior work considers one or two modalities through which a human can convey information to a robot—namely, kinesthetic demonstrations and preference queries. Moreover, people will teach robots [...]

PhD Thesis Proposal
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Learning Generalizable Robot Skills for Dynamic and Interactive Tasks

GHC 4405

Abstract: Enabling robots to perform complex dynamic tasks such as picking up an object in one sweeping motion or pushing off a wall to quickly turn a corner is a challenging problem. The dynamic interactions implicit in these tasks are critical for successful task execution. Furthermore, given the interactive nature of such tasks, safety, in [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Customizing Large-scale Text-to-Image Models

NSH 4305

Abstract: Advancements in large-scale generative models represent a watershed moment. These models can generate a wide variety of objects and scenes with different styles and compositions. However, these models are trained on a fixed snapshot of available data and often contain copyrighted or private images. This assumption makes them lacking in two aspects – (a) [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Building Robot Hands and Teaching Dexterity

NSH 4305

Abstract: Our shared dream is to have robot humanoids with hands complete similar tasks that humans do. While there are a few robot hands available today, the popular opinion is that they are difficult to use, expensive, and hard to obtain which precludes their ubiquitous usage. We argue that this is not an inherent problem [...]

VASC Seminar
Andrea Tagliasacchi
Associate Professor
Simon Fraser University

Neural World Models

Newell-Simon Hall 4305

Abstract: Computer vision researchers have pushed the limits of performance in perception tasks involving natural images to near saturation. With self-supervised inference driven by recent advancements in generative modeling, it can be debated that the era of large image models is coming to a close, ushering in an era focused on video. However, it's worth [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

How to Design Robotic Hands That Wield Tools

NSH 1305

Abstract: Tool manipulation is an essential human skill. It extends our manipulation capability beyond the capability of the biological hand, and is a defining feature of many important jobs centered on physical interaction with the real world. Yet, wielding a tool is drastically different from generally grasping an object. The prime examples are pens and [...]

RI Seminar
Chien-Ming Huang
John C. Malone Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University

Becoming Teammates: Designing Assistive, Collaborative Machines

1305 Newell Simon Hall

Abstract:  The growing power in computing and AI promises a near-term future of human-machine teamwork. In this talk, I will present my research group’s efforts in understanding the complex dynamics of human-machine interaction and designing intelligent machines aimed to assist and collaborate with people. I will focus on 1) tools for onboarding machine teammates and [...]

Special Events

Robotics Institute Winter Party

Newell-Simon Hall Perlis Atrium

Please join us for some fun, food, beverages and conversation! All RI faculty, staff, students and visitors are invited to the Robotics Institute Winter Party! We apologize but due to space limitations in the Atrium we regretfully cannot include family or other non-RI guests.

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Learning Local Heuristics in Heuristic Search

NSH 3305

Abstract: Motion planning is a fundamental problem in robotics; how can we move robots efficiently and safely? Motion planning can be solved using several paradigms with their own strengths and weaknesses. This talk dives into Heuristic Graph Search and its application to motion planning by converting it to a problem of finding a start-goal path [...]

PhD Thesis Proposal
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Low-Cost Multimodal Sensing and Dexterity for Deformable Object Manipulation

GHC 6115

Abstract: To integrate robots seamlessly into daily life, they must be able to handle a variety of tasks in diverse environments, like assisting in hospitals or cooking in kitchens. Many of the items in these environments are deformable such as bedding in hospitals or vegetables in kitchens, and a certain level of dexterity is necessary [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Joint 2D and 3D Semi-Supervised Object Detection

NSH 4305

Abstract: While numerous 3D detection works leverage the complementary relationship between RGB images and point clouds, developments in the broader framework of semi-supervised object recognition remain uninfluenced by multi-modal fusion. Current methods develop independent pipelines for 2D and 3D semi-supervised learning despite the availability of paired image and point cloud frames. Observing that the distinct [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

New Methods for Satellite Control

NSH 1109

Abstract: Since 2003, the number of satellites launched into orbit has grown from 100 per year to over 2000 per year. Over that same timeframe, incredible advances have been made in control systems for terrestrial robotics and autonomy. Despite the increased quantity of satellites in orbit and the advances made in terrestrial control systems, satellite [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
MSR Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

[MSR Thesis Talk] Development and Testing of a Software Stack for an Autonomous Racing Vehicle

3305 Newell-Simon Hall

Abstract: Autonomous racing aims to replicate the human racecar driver with software and sensors. As in traditional motorsports, Autonomous Racing Vehicles (ARVs) are pushed to their dynamic limits in multi-agent scenarios at high (>= 100mph) speeds. This Operational Design Domain (ODD) presents unique challenges across the autonomy stack. The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) is an [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
MSR Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

[MSR Thesis Talk] Kitchen Robot Case Studies: Learning Manipulation Tasks from Human Video Demonstrations

GHC 8102

Abstract:  The vision of integrating a robot into the kitchen, capable of acting as a chef, remains a sought-after goal in robotics. Current robotic systems, mostly programmed for specific tasks, fall short in versatility and adaptability to a diverse culinary environment. While significant progress has been made in robotic learning, with advancements in behavior cloning, [...]

PhD Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Towards Agile Robotics: Creating Push-Off Skills for Dynamic Interactions

GHC 8102

Abstract: Dynamic interactions play a fundamental role in human capabilities, enabling us to achieve a wide range of tasks such as moving heavy objects, manipulating our surroundings, and changing directions rapidly and safely. In contrast, most conventional robotic systems lack this level of agility and cannot perform dynamic interactions, limiting their potential in practical applications. [...]

PhD Thesis Proposal
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Learning Safe Human-Robot Interactions for a Seamlessly Shared Airspace

NSH 3305

Abstract: The growing need for fully autonomous aerial operations in shared spaces, necessitates the development of reliable agents capable of navigating safely and seamlessly alongside uncertain human agents. In response, we advocate endowing autonomous agents with the ability to predict human actions, comprehend and ground abstract rules in the action space, and embrace the uncertainty [...]

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, [...]

Faculty Events

RI Faculty Business Meeting

Newell-Simon Hall 4305

Meeting for RI Faculty. Discussions include various department topics, policies, and procedures. Generally meets weekly.

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 [...]

VASC Seminar
Ce Zheng
Ph.D. candidate at Center for Research in Computer Vision
University of Central Florida

Reconstructing 3D Humans from Visual Data

Newell-Simon Hall 3305

Abstract:  Abstract: Understanding humans in visual content is fundamental for numerous computer vision applications. Extensive research has been conducted in the field of human pose estimation (HPE) to accurately locate joints and construct body representations from images and videos. Expanding on HPE, human mesh recovery (HMR) addresses the more complex task of estimating the 3D pose [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Improving Kalman Filter-based Multi-Object Tracking in Occlusion and Non-linear Motion

Newell-Simon Hall 4305

Abstract: Modern methods solve multi-object tracking from two perspectives: motion modeling and appearance matching. As a classic paradigm, motion-based tracking by Kalman filters suffers from complicated motion patterns and the problem becomes more difficult when we only have noisy bounding boxes. To improve Kalman filter-based multi-object tracking in scenarios with complex motion, occlusion, and crossover, [...]

MSR Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Improving Kalman Filter-based Multi-Object Tracking in Occlusion and Non-linear Motion

NSH 4305

Abstract: Modern methods solve multi-object tracking from two perspectives: motion modeling and appearance matching. As a classic paradigm, motion-based tracking by Kalman filters suffers from complicated motion patterns and the problem becomes more difficult when we only have noisy bounding boxes. To improve Kalman filter-based multi-object tracking in scenarios with complex motion, occlusion, and crossover, [...]

PhD Thesis Defense
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Design Iteration of Dexterous Compliant Robotic Manipulators

GHC 6501

Abstract: The goal of personal robotics is to have robots in homes performing everyday tasks efficiently to improve our quality of life. Towards this end, manipulators are needed which are low cost, safe around humans, and approach human-level dexterity. However, existing off-the-shelf manipulators are expensive both in cost and manufacturing time, difficult to repair, and [...]