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Multi-sensor fusion is a fundamental problem in Robot Perception. For a robot to operate in a real world environment, multiple sensors are often needed. Thus, fusing data from various sensors accurately is vital for robot perception. In the first part of this thesis, the problem of fusing information from a

Multi-sensor fusion is a fundamental problem in Robot Perception. For a robot to operate in a real world environment, multiple sensors are often needed. Thus, fusing data from various sensors accurately is vital for robot perception. In the first part of this thesis, the problem of fusing information from a LIDAR, a color camera and a thermal camera to build RGB-Depth-Thermal (RGBDT) maps is investigated. An algorithm that solves a non-linear optimization problem to compute the relative pose between the cameras and the LIDAR is presented. The relative pose estimate is then used to find the color and thermal texture of each LIDAR point. Next, the various sources of error that can cause the mis-coloring of a LIDAR point after the cross- calibration are identified. Theoretical analyses of these errors reveal that the coloring errors due to noisy LIDAR points, errors in the estimation of the camera matrix, and errors in the estimation of translation between the sensors disappear with distance. But errors in the estimation of the rotation between the sensors causes the coloring error to increase with distance.

On a robot (vehicle) with multiple sensors, sensor fusion algorithms allow us to represent the data in the vehicle frame. But data acquired temporally in the vehicle frame needs to be registered in a global frame to obtain a map of the environment. Mapping techniques involving the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm and the Normal Distributions Transform (NDT) assume that a good initial estimate of the transformation between the 3D scans is available. This restricts the ability to stitch maps that were acquired at different times. Mapping can become flexible if maps that were acquired temporally can be merged later. To this end, the second part of this thesis focuses on developing an automated algorithm that fuses two maps by finding a congruent set of five points forming a pyramid.

Mapping has various application domains beyond Robot Navigation. The third part of this thesis considers a unique application domain where the surface displace- ments caused by an earthquake are to be recovered using pre- and post-earthquake LIDAR data. A technique to recover the 3D surface displacements is developed and the results are presented on real earthquake datasets: El Mayur Cucupa earthquake, Mexico, 2010 and Fukushima earthquake, Japan, 2011.
ContributorsKrishnan, Aravindhan K (Author) / Saripalli, Srikanth (Thesis advisor) / Klesh, Andrew (Committee member) / Fainekos, Georgios (Committee member) / Thangavelautham, Jekan (Committee member) / Turaga, Pavan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
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Description
Over the past century, the world has become increasingly more complex. Modern systems (i.e blockchain, internet of things (IoT), and global supply chains) are inherently difficult to comprehend due to their high degree of connectivity. Understanding the nature of complex systems becomes an acutely more critical skill set for managing

Over the past century, the world has become increasingly more complex. Modern systems (i.e blockchain, internet of things (IoT), and global supply chains) are inherently difficult to comprehend due to their high degree of connectivity. Understanding the nature of complex systems becomes an acutely more critical skill set for managing socio-technical infrastructure systems. As existing education programs and technical analysis approaches fail to teach and describe modern complexities, resulting consequences have direct impacts on real-world systems. Complex systems are characterized by exhibiting nonlinearity, interdependencies, feedback loops, and stochasticity. Since these four traits are counterintuitive, those responsible for managing complex systems may struggle in identifying these underlying relationships and decision-makers may fail to account for their implications or consequences when deliberating systematic policies or interventions.

This dissertation details the findings of a three-part study on applying complex systems modeling techniques to exemplar socio-technical infrastructure systems. In the research articles discussed hereafter, various modeling techniques are contrasted in their capacity for simulating and analyzing complex, adaptive systems. This research demonstrates the empirical value of a complex system approach as twofold: (i) the technique explains systems interactions which are often neglected or ignored and (ii) its application has the capacity for teaching systems thinking principles. These outcomes serve decision-makers by providing them with further empirical analysis and granting them a more complete understanding on which to base their decisions.

The first article examines modeling techniques, and their unique aptitudes are compared against the characteristics of complex systems to establish which methods are most qualified for complex systems analysis. Outlined in the second article is a proof of concept piece on using an interactive simulation of the Los Angeles water distribution system to teach complex systems thinking skills for the improved management of socio-technical infrastructure systems. Lastly, the third article demonstrates the empirical value of this complex systems approach for analyzing infrastructure systems through the construction of a systems dynamics model of the Arizona educational-workforce system, across years 1990 to 2040. The model explores a series of dynamic hypotheses and allows stakeholders to compare policy interventions for improving educational and economic outcome measures.
ContributorsNaufel, Lauren Rae McBurnett (Author) / Bekki, Jennifer (Thesis advisor) / Kellam, Nadia (Thesis advisor) / Rogers, Bradley (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
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Description
Autonomous systems should satisfy a set of requirements that guarantee their safety, efficiency, and reliability when working under uncertain circumstances. These requirements can have financial, or legal implications or they can describe what is assigned to autonomous systems.As a result, the system controller needs to be designed in order to

Autonomous systems should satisfy a set of requirements that guarantee their safety, efficiency, and reliability when working under uncertain circumstances. These requirements can have financial, or legal implications or they can describe what is assigned to autonomous systems.As a result, the system controller needs to be designed in order to comply with these - potentially complicated - requirements, and the closed-loop system needs to be tested and verified against these requirements. However, when the complexity of the system and its requirements increases, designing a requirement-based controller for the system and analyzing the closed-loop system against the requirement becomes very challenging. In this case, existing design and test methodologies based on trial-and-error would fail, and hence disciplined scientific approaches should be considered. To address some of these challenges, in this dissertation, I present different methods that facilitate efficient testing, and control design based on requirements: 1. Gradient-based methods for improved optimization-based testing, 2. Requirement-based learning for the design of neural-network controllers, 3. Methods based on barrier functions for designing control inputs that ensure the satisfaction of safety constraints.
ContributorsYaghoubi, Shakiba (Author) / Fainekos, Georgios (Thesis advisor) / Ben Amor, Heni (Committee member) / Bertsekas, Dimitri (Committee member) / Pedrielli, Giulia (Committee member) / Sankaranarayanan, Sriram (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021