Join speaker Daniele Gammelli as they explore how advancements in foundation models are shaping the future of space autonomy. The talk will cover adapting foundation model techniques, like Transformers, for reliable decision-making in spacecraft trajectory optimization. Additionally, Daniele will highlight opportunities for pre-trained models in machine learning-based autonomy stacks, from data curation to modular reasoning, paving the way for a versatile Space Foundation Model.

Join speaker Yifan Hou as they explore compliance in robotic manipulation—how the elastic relationship between force and motion enhances robustness. Yifan will present two methods: one using analytical modeling to compute optimal control and motion plans, and another introducing Adaptive Compliance Policy (ACP), a framework that learns dynamic compliance adjustments from human demonstrations.

Join us for an engaging and insightful seminar with Steve Cousins, the Executive Director of the Stanford Robotics Center, as he introduces the groundbreaking work being done at one of the world’s leading hubs for robotics innovation. In this talk, Steve will provide an overview of the Center’s mission and provide insight into the future of robotics.

Join us for an insightful seminar with Girish Chowdhary, an associate professor, Donald Biggar Willet Faculty Fellow, and director of the Field Robotics Engineering and Science Hub at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Girish will explore how advances in AI, visual navigation, and soft robotics are transforming sustainability and agriculture by addressing challenges like long-duration autonomy in dynamic environments. He will also share his work on commercializing these technologies, with applications in phenotyping, pest monitoring, cover cropping, and solar farm maintenance.

Join us for an engaging talk by Xiaolong Wang, assistant professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UC San Diego and a member of the Robotics team in the TILOS NSF AI Institute. Xiaolong will delve into the challenges and breakthroughs in enabling humanoid robots to perform diverse tasks akin to human capabilities. He will introduce a 2-level learning framework that combines Vision-Language-Action models trained on human video data with advanced low-level robot manipulation and control skills. This innovative approach promises scalable solutions for general-purpose humanoid robots, capable of navigating and interacting across dynamic environments with human-like precision.

Join us for an insightful talk by Sarah Fox, Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University and director of the Tech Solidarity Lab. Sarah will explore the transformative impacts of AI and automation on essential work sectors, highlighting the need for "worker-centered design." Drawing on ethnographic and design research, she will share cases from waste management, public transportation, and hospitality, demonstrating how participatory approaches can empower workers to shape the technologies influencing their livelihoods. From robotics to algorithmic management, Sarah's work seeks to bridge the gap between technological development and frontline needs, fostering cooperation, autonomy, and meaningful employment.

Join us for an engaging presentation by Dr. Lionel Robert, Professor of Information and Robotics at the University of Michigan, whose pioneering research explores the interplay between emerging technologies and workplace dynamics. Dr. Robert will discuss his recent work on the impact of service robots in industries like hospitality and dining, focusing on how these technologies reshape job design and employee experiences. Using the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) as a lens, his research reveals new dimensions of work, such as altered skill variety and task identity, and examines their effects on job satisfaction and performance. With insights drawn from extensive mixed-method studies, Dr. Robert provides a framework to understand and navigate the evolving roles of AI and robotics in the modern workplace.

Join us for an enlightening talk by Professor Iro Armeni, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University and leader of the Gradient Spaces research group. Professor Armeni will explore the concept of "living building models"—digital twins that evolve with buildings as they interact with humans and natural phenomena over time. She will share her innovative work on leveraging visual data to create and update building replicas, addressing challenges from drastic construction changes to subtle operational shifts, all while prioritizing privacy and practical implementation. This research aims to advance data-driven methods for sustainable construction and operation monitoring, ultimately fostering adaptive and user-centered built environments.

Join us for a compelling presentation by Professor Aaron M. Johnson, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, with joint appointments in the Robotics Institute and Electrical & Computer Engineering. Professor Johnson will address the challenges robots face in managing contact with the environment, a discontinuous interaction that defies conventional computational models. He will introduce innovative techniques like the "Salted Kalman Filter" for state estimation in hybrid systems and share new approaches to stabilizing and controlling systems through contact. Additionally, he will discuss the limitations of hybrid models, particularly in complex terrains like sand. This talk offers insights into advancing robotic planning, learning, and control in dynamic and uncertain environments.

Join us for an exciting talk by Dr. Laura Leal-Taixé, Senior Research Manager at NVIDIA and Adjunct Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), where she leads the Dynamic Vision and Learning group. Dr. Leal-Taixé will discuss groundbreaking approaches to training models for 3D data detection and segmentation without the need for direct annotation in the 3D domain. She will explore the innovative use of pseudo-labels and showcase a live demonstration of the "Segment Anything in Lidar" project.