This month, the SpaceX CRS-14 resupply mission to the International Space Station will carry a satellite the size of a small fridge, dubbed RemoveDebris, with the goal of tackling the problem.
Machine learning & AI
MOBLOT: A theoretical model that describes molecular oblivious robots
Research focusing on swarm robotics typically uses theoretical approaches to describe robotic systems in an abstract way. A theoretical model that is often used in robotics studies is OBLOT, an approach that represents robots as simple systems, all identical, without...
CaSiNo: A collection of campsite-based dialogs to develop automatic negotiation systems
Artificial agents that negotiate with humans could have a broad range of valuable applications, for instance, helping humans to improve their negotiation skills in a variety of fields. To enhance the development of these agents, researchers at the University of...
An artificial neural network to acquire grounded representations of robot actions and language
To best assist human users while they complete everyday tasks, robots should be able to understand their queries, answer them and perform actions accordingly. In other words, they should be able to flexibly generate and perform actions that are aligned with a user's...
SurvNet: A backward elimination procedure to enhance variable selection for deep neural networks
In recent years, models based on deep neural networks have achieved remarkable results on numerous tasks. Despite their high prediction accuracy, these models are known for their "black-box" nature, which essentially means that the processes that lead to their...
CineMPC: An algorithm to enable autonomous drone-based cinematography
Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, mobile robots and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could enhance practices in a variety of fields, including cinematography. In recent years, many cinematographers and entertainment companies...
Examining how humans develop trust towards embodied virtual agents
Embodied virtual agents (EVAs), graphically represented 3D virtual characters that display human-like behavior, could have valuable applications in a variety of settings. For instance, they could be used to help people practice their language skills or could serve as...
Researchers develop a robotic guide dog to assist blind individuals
Guide dogs, dogs that are trained to help humans move through their environments, have played a critical role in society for many decades. These highly trained animals, in fact, have proved to be valuable assistants for visually impaired individuals, allowing them to...
DLL: A map-based localization framework for aerial robots
To enable the efficient operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in instances where a global localization system (GPS) or an external positioning device (e.g., a laser reflector) is unavailable, researchers must develop techniques that automatically estimate a...
A technique to plan paths for multiple robots in flexible formations
Multi-robot systems have recently been used to tackle a variety of real-world problems, for instance, helping human users to monitor environments and access secluded locations. In order to navigate unknown and dynamic environments most efficiently, these robotic...