PhD Thesis Defense
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Towards Generalization and Efficiency in Reinforcement Learning

GHC 8102

Abstract: In classic supervised machine learning, a learning agent behaves as a passive observer: it receives examples from some external environment which it has no control over and then makes predictions. Reinforcement Learning (RL), on the other hand, is fundamentally interactive: an autonomous agent must learn how to behave in an unknown and possibly hostile [...]

MSR Speaking Qualifier
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Akshat Agarwal – MSR Thesis Talk

Newell-Simon Hall 4305

Title: Learning Transferable Cooperative Behavior in Multi-Agent Teams   Abstract: We study the emergence of cooperative behavior and communication protocols in multi-agent teams, for collaboratively accomplishing tasks like coverage control and formation control for swarms. Using graph neural networks to model inter-agent communications, we present state-of-the-art results in a fully decentralized execution framework which assumes [...]

MSR Speaking Qualifier
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Yifan Ding – MSR Thesis Talk

Newell-Simon Hall 4305

Title: Decentralized Multiple Mobile Depots Route Planning for Replenishing Persistent Surveillance Robots   Abstract: Persistent surveillance of a target space using multiple robots has numerous applications. The continuous operation in these applications is challenged by the limited onboard battery capacity of the persistent robots. We consider the problem for replenishing persistent robots using mobile depots, [...]

RI Seminar
Todd Murphey
Professor
Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University

Active Learning in Robot Motion Control

1305 Newell Simon Hall

Abstract: Motion motivated by information needs can be found throughout natural systems, yet there is comparatively little work in robotics on analyzing and synthesizing motion for information. Instead, engineering analysis of robots and animal motion typically depends on defining objectives and rewards in terms of states and errors on states. This is how we formulate [...]

MSR Speaking Qualifier
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Tanya Marwah – MSR Thesis Talk

Newell Simon Hall 4201

Title: Generating 3D Human Animations from Single Monocular Images   Abstract: Endowing AI systems with the ability to formulate a three-dimensional understanding of human appearance from a single RGB image is an important component technology for applications such as person re-identification, biometrics, virtual reality and augmented reality. However, jointly inferring the texture map and 3D [...]

Special Talk
Tesca Fitzgerald
PhD candidate
Computer Science, Georgia Tech College of Computing

Human-guided Task Transfer for Interactive Robots

GATES-HILLMAN 4405

Abstract: Adaptability is an essential skill in human cognition, enabling us to draw from our extensive, life-long experiences with various objects and tasks in order to address novel problems. To date, most robots do not have this kind of adaptability, and yet, as our expectations of robots’ interactive and assistive capacity grows, it will be [...]

MSR Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Pragna Mannam – MSR Thesis Talk

Newell-Simon Hall 4305

Title: Model-free Sensorless Manipulation   Abstract: This thesis is a study of 2D manipulation without sensing and planning, by exploring the effects of unplanned randomized action sequences on 2D object pose uncertainty. Our approach uses sensorless reorienting of an object to achieve a determined pose, regardless of the initial pose. Without using sensors and models [...]

MSR Speaking Qualifier
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Gines Hidalgo Martinez – MSR Thesis Talk

NSH 1109

Title: OpenPose: Whole-Body Pose Estimation   Abstract: We present the first single-network approach for 2D whole-body (body, face, hand, and foot) pose estimation, capable of detecting an arbitrary number of people from in-the-wild images. Our method maintains constant real-time performance regardless of the number of people in the image. This network is trained in a [...]

Faculty Events

RI Faculty Social

Newell-Simon Hall 4201

All Robotics Institute faculty are invited to attend this informal team-building business/social event. Beverages and snacks will be provided.

MSR Speaking Qualifier
PhD Student
Robotics Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University

Donglai Xiang – MSR Thesis Talk

Newell-Simon Hall 3305

Title: Monocular Total Capture: Pose Face, Body, and Hands in the Wild   Abstract: We present the first method to capture the 3D total motion of a target person from a monocular view input. Given an image or a monocular video, our method reconstructs the motion from body, face, and fingers represented by a 3D deformable [...]