Mobile Robots for Exploration, Assistance and Education
a talk by
Professor David P. Miller
College of Engineering, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
The University of Oklahoma
Tuesday, February 3rd, 6-7 pm
Del Norte 1500
Abstract: Mobile robots share some basic characteristics with animals and even people. This makes them ideal for carrying out some tasks normally done by people. This talk will discuss some past and present research I have done using mobile robots to explore natural terrain, and how a correct balance between mechanical and cognitive capabilities can significantly improve performance in certain aspects over what has been demonstrated by NASA rovers. Current work using an assistive co-robot to help children at risk for cerebral palsy to learn how to crawl will also be presented. We will conclude with a discussion of why robotics is an effective CS and engineering outreach tool, and how the sense of deification robotics can create amongst students is useful for promoting STEM education.
Bio: David Miller has a Bachelors in Astronomy from Wesleyan and a PhD in Computer Science from Yale University. While at JPL (1987-1993) he formed the Robotics Intelligence Group and started the work in small rovers that led to Mars Pathfinder Mission and the Sojourner Rover. in 1994 he co-founded the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics, a non-profit that continues to create and deliver educational robotics programs and robot technology world-wide today. Since 1999 he has been the Wilkonson Chair and Professor of Intelligent Systems at the University of Oklahoma attached to the schools of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, and Bio-Medical Engineering. His research concentrates in two main areas: robotics technology (particularly exploration and assistive applications) and robotics as a mechanism for technology education. His interests in robotics technology are in automated planning, robotics, and communications between people and robot systems.