The Robotics Institute

I am interested in creating systems that can act intelligently in the world. To reason about their environment, it is necessary for mobile robots to possess physical models of themselves, the terrain, and how the two interact.

Tire-Terrain Models

I am currently working on a high-fidelity model of tire-terrain interaction. Such a model can be used to evaluate the forces incurred by driving over a patch of terrain, and to reason about the effects these forces will have on a vehicle. Such model could play a crucial role in a high-performance perception or planning algorithm for high-speed mobile robots.

Mobile Robot Sensor Modules

I am also active in developing turn-key sensor-suites for mobile robots. By integrating pose, color and range in discrete, pre-packaged modules, vehicle-sensor integration time can be reduced allowing for a greater focus on algorithm and software development and testing.