Seminar on "Underwater Robot Systems for Scientific Sampling"

Date: 

Monday, October 17, 2016 - 3:30pm

Location: 

ESB 1001

Speaker: 

Dr. Christopher Clark

Over the past 10 years, researchers in the Lab for Autonomous and Intelligent Robotics (LAIR) have been developing novel multi-robot coordination systems based on control theoretic tools and algorithmic foundations, generating useful data for marine biologists and archaeologists. In the first case, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles are equipped with hydrophones to listen for acoustic transmissions from individual tagged sharks, enabling us to develop methods for cooperative state estimation and control applicable to a wide range of multi-robot animal tracking scenarios. In the second case, Remotely Operated Vehicles are used to explore and map over 60 underwater tunnels and chambers located at different archaeological sites across Malta and Sicily. LAIR next aims to develop a system for autonomous search and mapping of shipwrecks.

Bio: Dr. Christopher Clark is a Professor and Associate Department Chair of the Engineering Department at Harvey Mudd College where he directs the Lab for Autonomous and Intelligent Robotics (LAIR). He obtained his B.A.Sc. in Engineering Physics from Queen’s University in 1995, his M.A.Sc. in ME from the University of Toronto in 1995, and his Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics with a minor in Computer Science from Stanford University in 2004. Before joining Harvey Mudd, he taught and conducted research at the University of Waterloo, Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo, and was the William R. Kenan, Jr. Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching at Princeton University. His industry experience includes working as a Control Systems Designer for Sterner Automation, and working as a software architect for Kiva Systems. His research areas include multi-robot systems, autonomous navigation, motion planning, applied SLAM, field robotics, and underwater robot systems. Dr. Clark is also a Fulbright Scholar with an active fellowship at the University of Malta.

Event Type: 

Seminar