Robotic Reaction – Giuseppe Loianno, Electrical and Computer Engineering & Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, NYU – The Development of Advanced Tracking and Control for Robotics Technologies

Giuseppe Loianno, Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department as well as the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, discusses his robotics lab’s work.

Loianno is a passionate professor with a deep interest in many types of applied engineering. Loianno runs the Agile Robotics and Perception Lab (ARPL), a lab that is heavily involved in fundamental and applied research as it pertains to robotics autonomy. Their work is primarily focused on the creation of agile autonomous machines that can navigate independently using nothing more than onboard sensors in unstructured, and dynamically altering environments, without GPS or motion capture, etc. The researchers seek to refine and develop further, active machines that can collaborate with humans and with each other, and perform at an optimum level in unknown environments.

Loianno discusses eye-tracking glasses and the control of drones with the eye. He explains the benefits of eye tracking, and how it can make drone use easier and smoother. He states that this technology is non-invasive and exceptionally easy to use. While this technology is early-stage, Loianno is hopeful that new computer vision algorithms will help further their development. As he explains, gesture and voice interaction can also be utilized to better control the drones and improve robotic development. 

The applied engineering expert talks about some of their current trials and the new data they are gathering to further technological development. He envisions a complete framework that will incorporate multiple robots for control by a single user, then multiple users. Ultimately, these machines will be able to improve human work, in our environment and even in space, performing advance work that will inform humans about unknown environments, safety issues, and so much more. 

Loianno discusses how line of sight control can be switched to camera control when drones are out of range. And he answers specific questions regarding the complexities of line of sight issues. Loianno discusses the necessary training that users will need to control the technology in various environments. As he states, one of the greatest attributes of this tech is the interaction with humans… in that, the robotic drones can perform analyses and relay the information in real time to the human partner, for various tasks.