Robohub.org
 

Tim Bretl: Three surprises and a story of prison education | CMU RI Seminar


by
23 March 2019



share this:

Link to video on YouTube

Abstract: “I will talk about three results that surprised me. First, I will show that the free configuration space of an elastic wire is path-connected, a result that makes easy a manipulation planning problem that was thought to be hard. Second, I will show a linear relationship between stimulation parameters, skin impedance, and sensation intensity in electrotactile stimulation. This result leads to algorithms that keep sensation intensity constant despite large variability in skin impedance, eliminating a longstanding barrier to practical use of electrotactile stimulation for sensory substitution and haptic feedback. Third, I will show you several obvious ways to use fiducial markers – which everybody knows will improve the performance of Structure-from-Motion (SfM) algorithms for vision-based 3D reconstruction – that work poorly. Then, I will show you a simple but less obvious way to use them that seems to work well. I will also talk about my experience teaching two engineering courses – one on robotics, one on control systems – to students incarcerated at Danville Correctional Center, an Illinois state prison. I will tell you why I did it and what I learned.”




John Payne

            AUAI is supported by:



Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack



Related posts :

New research enables a robot to chart a better course

  17 Jun 2026
By rapidly generating a smooth path plan that cuts travel time and avoids obstacles, the open-source “MIGHTY” system could streamline disaster recovery and parcel delivery.

Entangled robotic matter with cohesive motion

  15 Jun 2026
Engineers have developed a robotic collective that behaves less like a machine and more like a material that flows.

Robot Talk Episode 160 – Robotic blacksmiths, with Edward Mehr

  12 Jun 2026
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Edward Mehr from Machina Labs about their RoboCraftsman that shapes complex metal parts for the aerospace, defence, and automotive industries.

Congratulations to the #AAMAS2026 best paper award winners

  08 Jun 2026
Find out who won in the categories of best paper, best student paper, and best blue sky paper.

Robot Talk Episode 159 – Robot sensing and manipulation, with Maria Koskinopoulou

  05 Jun 2026
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Maria Koskinopoulou from Heriot-Watt University about autonomous robotic manipulators for surgery, industry, and beyond.

Global robotics technology roadmap

  03 Jun 2026
A multi-regional, cross-domain strategic perspective for Europe, Asia, and the United States.

RoboChem Flex: democratisation of the autonomous synthesis robot

  02 Jun 2026
A versatile, modular design and the option for "human-in-the-loop" analytics.

Robot Talk Episode 158 – Autonomous robot deliveries, with Ahti Heinla

  29 May 2026
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Ahti Heinla from Starship Technologies about their AI-powered delivery robots that operate independently on streets and pavements.



AUAI is supported by:







Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack




 















©2026.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence