This is a list of my projects over the last couple of years. You can get more information on separate websites or by contacting me! Most of them produced some publications and are related to my research work with the SpaceMaster Robotics Team, the Advanced Concepts Team or the IDSIA Robotics Lab.
Juxi LeitnerResearcher Robotics & AI
My Projects
Ongoing Research Projects
Wearable Interfaces For Hand Function Recovery (WAY)
The WAY project addresses the challenging problems of functional substitution & recovery of sensorimotor capacities of the human hand.
Apart from developing ready-to-use Brain-Neural Computer Interfaces (BNCI) for the disabled; the interfaces and systems developed within the project will be functionally evaluated by amputees and patients with hand dysfunctions (e.g. spinal cord injured) exploiting two complementary demonstrators: a multifunction hand prosthesis and a hand exoskeleton (called Hand Assistive Devices, HAD).
The two demonstrators will be developed by the biorobotics group of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa.
IDSIA develops algorithms that facilitate control of hand prosthesis and hand exoskeletons through brain-computer interfaces. The project focuses on the practical application of hand assistive devices, and hence, has a strong involvement of patients in clinical trials.
since 2012, IDSIA
Intrinsically Motivated Agents (IM-CLeVeR)
The main projecte here is named IM-CLeVeR and the partners include CNR (in Rome), Universities of Ulster and Aberstwyth (UK). This project focusses on the iCub robot and how it can learn to interact with its environment. The project is funded by the EU Framework Programme and is officially called Intrinsically Motivated Cumulative Learning Versatile Robots.
It is quite a big project here at IDSIA and a lot of work is done to make the iCub perform object manipulation. The main parts I am working on currently are to get the software setup and start on the interface between the Machine Learning (Reinforcement Learning) group and robotics. Right now I am helping to make the iCub see things, that is, helping on the computer vision part of the project.
Previous Research Projects
Enhancing Biomorphic Agility Through
The first project is nicknamed STIFF and is lead by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) (Biorobotics Section). STIFF is a research project on enhancing biomorphic agility of robot arms and hands through variable stiffness & elasticity. Funded by the 7th framework programme of the European Union (grant agreement No: 231576).
Variable Stiffness (STIFF)
IDSIA is responsible for learning high-level task-specific controllers based on reinforcement signals for the flexible variable-impedance robot arm developed by DLR (HASy), and for extracting cost functions from human behaviours in collaboration with UEDIN (also sometimes referred to as inverse reinforcement learning).
Evolving Docking
Aiming to evolve neurocontrollers (NC) that can be used to control spacecraft, with focus on automatic rendezvous and docking (AR&D). The main goal is to find answers to the following questions: 'Can we design a NC that can adapt to varying conditions? What is the tradeoff between the optimality of such NC and their adaptability and robustness?'
2009-2010, Advanced Concepts Team/ESA
The motivation for this research, is to find a state feedback, that is u(x), providing the controller with more adaptiveness and robustness. A first step towards a fully reactive NC, an artificial neural network (ANN) is trained offline by a fitness based genetic algorithm to fulfil a docking task. To compare an optimal control strategy as a function of time, u(t), is found using numerical algorithms, an open loop control strategy bound to fail in an uncertain and disturbed environment.
Fractionated Spacecraft Simulation
The ACT in collaboration with DG-PS started the investigation of possible future and advanced scenarios and concepts in the broad area of space and security (e.g. disaster monitoring, space debris, NEOs, etc.). A special focus was on DARPA's F6 project because of its interesting framework, which includes possible dual use, its aim for asset security and its re-configurability.
Apart from that the project also provides a new methodology for space systems design (see the proposed value-centric design method) with the ability of extending and/or reconfiguring space architectures over time by adding and removing assets when needed. We aim to simulate a dynamic resource sharing between multiple small spacecraft in orbit.
2009-2010, Advanced Concepts Team/ESA
Taking a first step from theoretically described resource sharing to its application, ensuring that each spacecraft module has the needed resources for operation. For this we use a Multi-Agent System (MAS) to model the spacecrafts as agents with a given resource requirement and the ability to transfer (point-to-point) resources between the agents.
Multi Robot Cooperation
Investing Multi Robot Formations for Area Coverage in Space Applications was part of my MSc studies. Two algorithmic implementations of robot formation control for area coverage problems are investigated in a space exploration scenario. A marsupial robot society is tasked to, e.g. create maps, create habitats, etc. An overview of multi-robot systems in space, both
2008-2009, TKK, LTU, 東京大学
currently in use and planned for the near future, was given (and was cited by NASA's working group on Mars Exploration). A vector force technique and a machine learning approach, organizational-learning classifier system (OCS) introduced by Takadama, were implemented in C++. The two were compared in a developed simulator, SMRTCTRL, the first approach was tested using a multi-robot society of LEGO Mindstorms Robots.
CanSat
A CanSat is a 'scale satellite' integrated within a soft drink can and launched onboard a weather balloon (or an amateur rocket). It performs autonomous measurements of temperature, pressure, etc. During my Master's we worked on the EISBAR project (Educational Investigation into Satellite Building and Atmospheric Recording) to design, implement and test a small module.
2007-2008, JMUW, LTU
To meet the aim of measuring various specific values, the project was split into sub-components. The module was able to record pressure, temperature, position and radiation levels. The data collected was transmitted to a ground-station via radio signals and also stored on-board. Afterwards it was analysed to learn more about atmospheric radiation levels.
Visual Programming
Focusing on the programming language and IDE Processing, evolved out of MIT in 2001, we tried to evaluate what it can be used for. Processing is used in various areas including Visualization, Hardware, Video, Animation, Installations and so forth. We also looked into some alternatives and offsprings of Processing like Arduino/Wiring and similar IDEs for other programming languages.
2006-2007, TU Wien
Others
Apart from the above projects I was also involved in the following...
Skriptenforum.net
Sozialpsychologie e-Learning
SpaceMaster Robotics Team
SpaceMaster Robotics Team is a student team consisting of members formerly studying in the Joint European Master in Space Science & Technology (SpaceMaster) programme. It is currently spread all over Europe. And we do cool things :) More about the following projects can be found on the SMRT homepage.
