Another sponsor of AIRVL, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) supports work emphasizing the use of computer vision techniques and their application toward intelligent transportation systems. Through these grants, AIRVL has successfully developed systems capable of pedestrian tracking and of automatic detection of driver fatigue. Also with MNDOT support, AIRVL is developing systems for bicycle counting, vehicle classification, and determination of vehicle occupancy using infrared imaging. Other lab projects include object recognition using "image morphing," automatic target recognition systems, and vision-based robotic reaching and grasping.
As the name implies, the Collaborative Systems Lab focuses on systems that collaborate: either machine-to-machine, program-to-program or machine-to-human. The primary projects involve gesture-based programming and self-adaptive software. Gesture-based programming is a form of programming by human demonstration; instead of programming a robot by typing text in a computer's language, the programmer simply shows the robot what to do and the system generates its own program. Self-adaptive software endeavors to imbue software agents with self-analysis capabilities so they can improve their own performance over time.
Spin-off of these major projects include research in tactile sensors, industrial-based robotic systems, and entertainment robotics. The latter is a collaborative effort with the Art Department to create intelligent puppets, robotic art, and "aesthetic mechatronics." The main attraction of this effort to-date is a 7-foot T-Rex that the team hopes to have walking soon.
The Undergraduate Robotics Lab, which is supported as an instructional facility, gives students the opportunity to experience research first-hand under faculty supervision. The success of the lab is evidenced by the receipt of several UROP grants and NSF Graduate Fellowships by lab participants.
Dr. Gini, a long-standing expert in artificial intelligence and its application to robotics, co-directs AIRVL and directs the Undergraduate Robotics Lab. Also a co-director of AIRVL, Dr. Papanikolopoulos is a leading researcher in robotics and computer vision. A recent addition to the department, Dr. Voyles is an expert in robotics. He directs the Collaborative Systems Lab and co-directs AIRVL. Together, they recently founded the Distributed Robotics Center which is to move to its new facilities in December.
AIRVL, the Collaborative Systems Laboratory, and the Undergraduate Robotics Lab provide support for over 25 graduate and undergraduate students. AIRVL has successfully graduated over 50 Masters and Ph.D. students who now hold prestigious positions in both industry and academia.