CAREER: Re-Thinking the Perception-Action Paradigm for Agile Autonomous Robots

NSF Award Search · 01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $600,000 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Autonomous robots will become pervasive in our society and will solve complex tasks, actively collaborating with each other and with humans. As the recent COVID-19 outbreak has highlighted, autonomous robots can solve a range of time-sensitive problems including logistics, reconnaissance, and disinfection of critical areas. Beyond pandemic, small-scale robots can help humans in complex or dangerous tasks such as search and rescue, security, and surveillance, and, thanks to their lighter weight, they pose only a modest risk to human safety. These time-sensitive tasks require robots to make fast decisions and agile maneuvers in complex and dynamic environments. State-of-the-art autonomous navigation approaches, while mature, are slow and brittle and prevent robust and resilient agile navigation. This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program studies the fundamental perception-action problem for agile navigation of autonomous robots in complex environments by planning a novel, low-latency, robust, adaptive, safe, and resilient paradigm. This project aims also to educate students on the technical aspects, societal benefits, and ethical use of autonomous systems by establishing a unique multi-disciplinary, and integrated research and educational platform which includes a core curriculum on robot localization and navigation, and a series of online racing hackathons for a post-pandemic customized and integrated research and educational experience. These will contribute to lo

Key facts

NSF award ID
2546659
Awardee
University of California-Berkeley (CA)
SAM.gov UEI
GS3YEVSS12N6
PI
Giuseppe Loianno
Primary program
01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
Artificial Intelligence (AI), CAREER-Faculty Erly Career Dev, ROBOTICS
Estimated total
$600,000
Funds obligated
$565,631
Transaction type
Continuing Grant
Period
07/01/2025 → 03/31/2027