Posted 8:57 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014
The last decade has seen a growing interest in drones and the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The last decade has seen a growing interest in drones and the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles.
This year’s Computer Science Distinguished Lecture Series speaker will address the challenges and opportunities for developing smart aerial robots during his talk “From UAVs to Flying Robots” at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20, at UW-L. Registration opens at 10:30 a.m. at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center.
Each year the lecture series attracts internationally-recognized leaders in computer science. This year’s speaker, Vijay Kumar, is the UPS Foundation Professor in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his work in academia, he was the assistant director for robotics and cyber physical systems at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from 2012-2014.
Kumar will explain the application of UAVs in search and rescue, first response and precision forming. He will also describe his work designing small, agile robots, including how to control and plan autonomous motions. He’ll also discuss their approach to localization in environments without GPS.
Kumar will also give a more technical talk on “Aerial Robot Swarms” at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20. Registration opens at 4:30 p.m. at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center. He will show how the falling price-performance ratio of sensors and processors and the democratization of manufacturing through such techniques as 3D printing has made it possible to create inexpensive robots. Similarly, the decrease in cost-performance of communication and storage now makes it possible to create swarms of aerial robots. Kumar will address key algorithmic challenges in coordinating large teams of aerial robots with applications to cooperative manipulation and transport, and autonomous mapping of three-dimensional environments.
The Computer Science Distinguished Lecture Series started in 1990 and is supported through the UW-L Foundation, the College of Science and Health and the Computer Science Department. For more information on the lecture series, visit http://www.cs.uwlax.edu/
If you go—
What: Public lecture “From UAVs to Flying Robots”
When: 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20. Registration opens at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Cleary Alumni & Friends Center
Admission: Free
What: Symposium “Aerial Robot Swarms”
When: 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20. Registration opens at 4:30 p.m.
Where: Cleary Alumni & Friends Center
Admission: Free
Parking: Parking options have changed this year. Visitors can purchase a half-day permit for $3 or a full-day permit for $5 from UW-L Parking Services, 605 17th St. N.
Parking will be available in the university parking ramp, located next to the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center on La Crosse Street as well as across from the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center. Visitor parking is also available at pay stations located in the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center lot (C-12) and the first level of the parking ramp.
Permits can be purchased online at https://uwlax.clickandpark.com/.