PhD Thesis Defense
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Data-Driven Visual Forecasting

NSH 3305

Abstract: Understanding the temporal dimension of images is a fundamental part of computer vision. Humans are able to interpret how the entities in an image will change over time. However, it has only been relatively recently that researchers have focused on visual forecasting—getting machines to anticipate events in the visual world before the actually happen. [...]

RI Seminar
Alex John London
Clara L. West Professor of Ethics and Philosophy, Director of the Center for Ethics & Policy
Carnegie Mellon University

From Automation to Autonomy and the Ubiquity of Moral Decision Making

Newell-Simon Hall 1305

Abstract:  I argue that there is an important sense in which all decisions are moral decisions and I explore some implications of this insight (and its denial) for the design and human impacts of increasingly complex automated systems and emerging autonomous systems.  This insight is obscured when we think about automated systems by the social [...]

PhD Thesis Defense
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Planning for Sustained Lunar Polar Roving

GHC 4405

Abstract: Lunar polar resources can accelerate deep space exploration by resupplying missions with oxygen, water, and propellent. Before lunar resupply can be established, the distribution and concentration of water ice and other volatiles abundant at the poles of the Moon must be verified and mapped. The need for affordable, scalable exploration of the lunar poles [...]

PhD Thesis Defense
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Lidar Simulation for Robotic Application Development: Modeling and Evaluation

NSH 1305

Abstract: Given the increase in scale and complexity of robotics, robot application development is challenging in the real world. It may be expensive, unsafe, or impractical to collect data, or test systems, in reality. Simulation provides an answer to these challenges. In simulation, data collection is relatively inexpensive, scenes can be procedurally generated, and state [...]

PhD Thesis Defense
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Adapting to Context in Robot Perception

NSH 3305

Abstract: The promised future filled with robots sensing and acting intelligently in the world is near fruition, thanks in part to continuous progress in robotic perception. However, a number of challenges remain before robots and their perception systems can be truly reliable. In particular, we must consider what happens when highly complex perception systems designed [...]

PhD Thesis Proposal
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Depth Imaging for Navigation in Challenging Environments

NSH 1507

Abstract: Depth sensors for robust navigation must measure scenes in darkness, bright light, and in scattering media. Scanning LIDAR devices are the most robust to these conditions, but capture sparse measurements, are slow, and expensive. Consumer depth cameras, on the other hand, are inexpensive and produce dense, high rate depth measurements, but fail in bright [...]