Software developers frequently need to perform code maintenance tasks, but doing so requires time-consuming navigation through code. A variety of tools are aimed at easing this navigation by using models to predict places in the code that a developer might want to visit, and then providing shortcuts so that the...
Top-performing approaches to embodied AI tasks like point-goal navigation often rely on training agents via reinforcement learning over tens of millions (or even billions) of experiential steps – learning neural agents that map directly from visual observations to actions. In this work, we question whether these extreme training durations are...
The use of autonomous robots in complex exploration tasks is rapidly increasing. Indeed, robots can provide speed and cost effectiveness in many tasks, as well as allow operation in environments that are hostile to humans. In this dissertation we: 1) provide two adaptive navigation algorithms; 2) develop a coordination mechanism;...
The effectiveness of robot autonomy is governed by the ability to make decisions based on online sensor measurements and a prior belief of the environment. Uncertainty in the environment introduces challenges to robotic decision making. This thesis address two key robot decision making problems: exploration and navigation. The robotic exploration...
In the field of herpetology, most studies of homing have been
carried out with anurans and, to a lesser degree, reptiles. Studies
of orientation and navigation in urodeles have been limited to a few
brief notes and the extensive investigation of Taricha rivularis by
Twitty (1959 and 1964).
The rough-skinned...
Over 37,000 people die each year in automobile accidents, with many of these fatalities resulting from collisions with emergency vehicles. The rise of autonomous cars creates the need for an accurate and failsafe method of detecting and responding to emergency vehicles safely and on time. This thesis investigates the ability...
This study explored how students navigate the technological landscape of a public, land-grant institution. Through online surveys and semi-structured, one-on-one interviews, the study operated through an anticipatory/participatory lens to research with the intent of understanding students' experiences with technology at a research institution. Using this methodology and Triandis and Triandis'...
Autonomous robotic agents are on their way to becoming in-home personal assistants, construction assistants, and warehouse workers. The degree of autonomy of such systems is reflected by the manner in which we specify goals to them; the abstraction of low-level commands to high-level goals goes hand-in-hand with increased autonomy. In...