File:Chris umerson.zip

High-Speed Navigation of Desert Terrain

Chris Urmson Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Date: Monday, May 22, 2006 Location: TSRB 132-133

Abstract: The recently completed Grand Challenge represented a significant step in integrated robotic navigation capability. In this talk I will introduce many of the research and engineering problems investigated by the Carnegie Mellon team. I will discuss the perception and planning systems use of a partially structured environment as a key to achieving high-performance navigation. And will also introduce some of the testing methodology developed in achieving the robustness necessary to complete over 4000 miles of testing and to get two vehicles across the Grand Challenge finish line.

Bio: Dr. Chris Urmson was a principal architect of the Red Team software systems and led field testing operations. Prior to his envolvement with Red Team, Chris developed several robotic navigation architectures and software systems currently in use by Carnegie Mellon and NASA. He has made significant contributions to the development of over a half dozen robots, with a research emphasis on perception, navigation and system integration. Chris is a robotics research scientist with SAIC and an adjunct faculty member of the Robotics Institute. He earned his PhD in 2005 from Carnegie Mellon University and his B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the University of Manitoba in 1998.