As a function of recent and rapid advancements in technology, real-world application domains are now becoming accessible to robotic systems. The first and perhaps most important problems posed to robots will be those involving environments that are unpleasant, dangerous, or completely impossible for a human worker to endure. I am pursuing the challenges surrounding the design, construction, integration and ongoing development of robotic systems for operation in otherwise inaccessible and/or hazardous environments. Specifically, I am researching hardware and software architectures and systems that enable robust, reliable and safe operation in difficult and uncertain environments.
I also maintain two responsibilities within the Robotics Institute: I manage the FRC Electronics Lab and am the current developer of the CMU 1394 Digital Camera Driver.