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Omnidirectional obstacle detection using minimal sensing
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
An integrated approach to visual obstacle detection for aerial multi-rotor vehicles (drones) is introduced. The approach achieves omnidirectional detection of obstacles via suitable synergy of hardware and software. The ...
Next-generation dedicated outdoor air cooling systems for low-energy buildings
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
Building operations take up more than 40% of the overall energy consumption in the United States, among which cooling energy comprises an especially significant part in hot and humid climates. To achieve low-energy and ...
Underwater multi-vehicle co-operative target-tracking
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
The marine domain is fundamentally challenging for collaborative, multi-robot sensing and tracking operations. Accurate mapping and modeling of an underwater environment is both time consuming and difficult, especially ...
Inference and learning for rigid-body models of manipulation
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
In this thesis, we explore a spectrum of inference and modeling approaches for robotic manipulation. Particularly, we investigate the broad class of rigid-bodies undergoing frictional interactions. We begin by deriving a ...
An inverse problem framework for reconstruction of phonon properties using solutions of the Boltzmann transport equation
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
A methodology for reconstructing phonon properties in a solid material, such as the frequency-dependent relaxation time distribution, from thermal spectroscopy experimental results is proposed and extensively validated. ...
Holistic modeling and evaluation of material recovery from materially-complex end-of-life vehicles
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
Material recovery is a key lever to promote a sustainable materials recycling system. By capturing materials from end-of-life products and substituting primary with secondary material production, society can reduce the ...
Non-contact ultrasound
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
This thesis explores the design, development, and evaluation of two novel non-contact ultrasound imaging methods: immersion ultrasound and optical ultrasound. Immersion ultrasound utilizes traditional piezoelectric elements ...
New modeling of compact, high-efficiency, and widely-tunable gas-phase terahertz lasers
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
The terahertz region, in the heart of the electromagnetic spectrum, has been the least utilized, in part due to inadequacies of available sources. Optically pumped far-infrared (OPFIR) lasers were one of the most powerful ...
An efficient multi-layer boundary element method for direct computation of sound propagation in shallow water environments
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
The objective of this thesis is to develop and apply efficient three-dimensional (3D) direct simulation capabilities for underwater sound field predictions in shallow water environments. Despite the large number of theoretical ...
Planning under uncertainty in resource-constrained systems
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019)
As autonomous systems become integrated into the real world, planning under uncertainty is a critical task. The real world is incredibly complex and systems must reason about factors such as uncertainty in their movements, ...