seminar

Design of Robotics and Embedded systems, Analysis, and Modeling Seminar (DREAMS)

Spring 2018

The Design of Robotics and Embedded systems, Analysis, and Modeling Seminar (DREAMS) occurs weekly on Mondays from 4.10-5.00 p.m. in 250 Sutardja Dai Hall. DREAMS has joined forces with the Control Theory Seminar and the CITRIS People and Robots Seminar CPAR.

The Design of Robotics and Embedded systems, Analysis, and Modeling Seminar topics are announced to the DREAMS list, which includes the chessworkshop workgroup, which includes the chesslocal workgroup.

Information on the seminar series might be useful for potential speakers. If you have any questions about DREAMS, please contact Markus N. Rabe. If you want to subscribe to our mailing list, please drop me a line.

Seminars from previous semesters can be found here.

Today's Seminar Talk

Schedule

Continuum Robotics in Surgery: Dexterity and Localization toward Autonomy

Jan 22, 2018, 4-5pm, 250 Sutardja Daj Hall, David Camarillo, Stanford.

Slides

Abstract

Continuum manipulators are a class of long, slender soft robots that can be employed for minimally invasive surgical procedures such are cardiac cath eterization, colonoscopy, and bronchoscopy. The soft nature of these devices introduces uncertainty in modeling both due to the deformable nature of the manip ulator and the environment. To deal with uncertainty in continuum manipulators, my group has developed two approaches to control that greatly reduce the need f or modeling and instead rely on continuous measurement of the device. In addition, we are beginning to work on the problem of dealing with uncertainties in th e environment by performing continuous real-time registration to moving anatomy, using image feedback and deep learning. I will discuss our control and locali zation research in this talk, working toward the ultimate goal of automating minimally invasive surgery.

Bio:

NA

Safety-Critical Control for Dynamic Legged and Aerial Robotics

Jan 29, 2018, 4-5pm, 250 Sutardja Daj Hall, Koushil Sreenath, UC Berkeley.

Slides

Abstract

Biological systems such as birds and humans are able to move with great agility, efficiency, and robustness in a wide range of environments. Endowing machines with similar capabilities requires designing controllers that address the challenges of high-degree-of-freedom, high-degree-of-underactuation, nonlinear & hybrid dynamics, as well as input, state, and safety-critical constraints in the presence of model and sensing uncertainty. In this talk, I will present the design of planning and control algorithms for (i) dynamic legged locomotion over discrete terrain that requires enforcing safety-critical constraints in the form of precise foot placements; and (ii) dynamic aerial manipulation through cooperative transportation of a cable-suspended payload using multiple aerial robots with safety-critical constraints on manifolds. We will use the tools of control Lyapunov and control barrier functions for enforcing stability and safety while combining it with deep learning for visual perception.

Bio:

NA

Manipulation Skills that I Wish My Robots Had

Feb 05, 2018, 4-5pm, 250 Sutardja Daj Hall, Alberto Rodriguez, MIT.

Slides

Abstract

My main goal in this talk is to discuss some manipulation capabilities that I believe are essential to develop practical autonomous robotic manipulation systems. These are manipulation skills that I wish my robots had. I’ll start the talk by briefing on recent work by Team MIT-Princeton in the Amazon Robotics Challenge to develop a robotic pick-and-place system capable of grasping and recognizing novel objects in cluttered environments. I’ll also describe the challenges derived from the lack of practical solutions to exploit feedback and contact sensing, which make of grasping a yet unsolved problem. In the second part of the presentation I will share ideas on what I think are some of the missing capabilities to build systems with dexterity. I will finish by describing current efforts in my group to develop perception, planning, and control algorithms that explicitly embrace contact: 1) by exploiting contacts with the environment; 2) by fusing tactile and vision sensing in real time; and 3) by enabling fast reactive control.

Bio:

NA

Fast Computation of Reachable Tubes for Provably Safe Unmanned Aerial Systems Traffic Management

Feb 12, 2018, 4-5pm, 250 Sutardja Daj Hall, Abhishek Halder, UC Santa Cruz.

Slides

Abstract

There is a pressing demand to integrate unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly termed as drones, in the national airspace to enable a plethora of services such as package delivery, infrastructure monitoring, news and sports coverage, and precision agriculture. Recent research and development efforts in industry, Government and academia have focused on designing a dedicated traffic management system for unmanned aerial vehicles, operating at low altitude. Unlike the existing manned air traffic management, the unmanned air traffic management (UTM) system is envisioned to have higher degree of autonomy, and must be provably safe while guaranteeing high throughput. As a networked cyber-physical system, UTM has many unique design challenges which essentially stem from the fact that different groups of drones may have conflicting business needs, and yet are required to share the same physical space-time resource. This talk will outline a UTM motion protocol to guarantee real-time safety, which relies on timely computation of reachable tubes of the drones subject to measurement and wind uncertainties. We will propose algorithms for fast computation of outer approximation of these tubes to enable this motion protocol, and will provide numerical results.

Bio:

NA

A Thirty Year Perspective on Medical Robotics: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Feb 26, 2018, 4-5pm, 250 Sutardja Daj Hall, Russ Taylor, John Hopkins University.

Slides

Abstract

This talk will discuss insights gathered over nearly thirty years of research on medical robotics and computer-integrated interventional medicine (CIIM), both at IBM and at Johns Hopkins University. The goal of this research has been the creation of a three-way partnership between physicians, technology, and information to improve treatment processes. CIIM systems combine innovative algorithms, robotic devices, imaging systems, sensors, and human-machine interfaces to work cooperatively with surgeons in the planning and execution of surgery and other interventional procedures. For individual patients, CIIM systems can enable less invasive, safer, and more cost-effective treatments. Since these systems have the ability to act as “flight data recorders” in the operating room, they can enable the use of statistical methods to improve treatment processes for future patients and to promote physician training. We will illustrate these themes with examples from our past and current work and will offer some thoughts about future research opportunities and system evolution.

Bio:

NA

TBA

Mar 19, 2018, 4-5pm, 250 Sutardja Daj Hall, Michael Wehner, NA.

Slides

Abstract

TBA

Bio:

NA

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