Raff D'Andrea, 12 October 2010

Raff D'Andrea from ETH will be visiting Caltech on 12 October 2010 (Tue). Please sign up for a time to meet with him below.

Schedule

Tuesday (12 Oct 2010):

8:45a	Hold: John Doyle
9:30a	Hold: John Doyle
10:15a	Hold: John Doyle
11:00a	Floris
12:00p	IST Lunch Bunch, Annenberg
1:30p	Ufuk
2:15p	Nader
3:00p	Discussions/lab tours w/ RMM students: meet in Steele library Robotics lab: Shuo Han and Andrea Censi Insect flight: Sawyer Fuller and Francisco Zabala Biocircuits: Ophelia Venturelli and Elisa Franco MuSyC: Necmiye Ozay and Mumu Xu
4:15p	Hold: Ben Recht

Talk Abstract

Some Applications of Distributed Estimation and Control

Raff D'Andrea, ETHZ

In this talk I will discuss several applications of distributed estimation and control: Kiva Systems, a company that uses hundreds of mobile robots to move inventory in distribution facilities; the Balancing Cube, a structure that can balance on any one of its edges or corners using six rotating mechanisms on the cube's inner faces; the Distributed Flight Array, a flying platform consisting of multiple autonomous single propeller vehicles that are able to drive, dock with their peers, and fly in a coordinated fashion; the Flying Machine Arena, a research-driven airspace where vehicles teach themselves -- and each other -- how to fly.

Raffaello D'Andrea is Professor of Dynamic Systems and Control at ETH Zurich and Technical Co-Founder of Kiva Systems, a company that develops adaptive and self-configuring warehouse automation systems using hundreds of networked, mobile robots. Also a creator of dynamic sculpture, he has shown his work at international venues including the Venice Biennale, the Luminato Festival, Ars Electronica, and ideaCity; two of his pieces are in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Canada.