Events Calendar

Center for Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet of Things and Ming Hsieh Institute Seminar

Speaker: Shyam Gollakota, Department of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington

Talk Title: Insect-Scale Wireless Robotics

Series: Center for Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet of Things

Abstract: The concept of insect-scale robotics has long been in the realm of science fiction rather than reality. It is particularly challenging given the extreme size, weight and power requirements for sensing, computing, communication, actuation as well as the need to power such wireless systems. In this talk, I will present a sequence of recent and ongoing research projects that design programmable wireless technologies to achieve this vision. I will first present bio-integrated solutions that combine the best of technology and nature to integrate sensing, computing and communication functionalities onto tiny live flying insects like bees to create a mobile IoT platform. I will then present bio-inspired sensor systems that take their inspiration from nature to create wireless sensors. Specifically, I will talk about a fully wireless, power-autonomous, mechanically steerable vision system that imitates insect head motion to capture wide-angle views at a low power. Using this vision system, I will present the world's smallest terrestrial robot that can move at up to 3.5 centimeters per second, support vision, and operate for 63 to 260 minutes in a power-autonomous manner. I will conclude by talking about our recent work on airdropping wireless sensors in remote and difficult to reach locations using tiny drones and moths as well as ongoing efforts tracking murder hornets in collaboration with the Washington Department of Agriculture.

Biography: Shyam Gollakota is an Associate Professor of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington with adjunct positions in the departments of Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. His research covers a range of topics, including bio-robotics, computer networks, user interfaces, battery-free computing and mobile health. His work has led to three startups, Jeeva Wireless, Sound Life Sciences and Edus health, has been licensed by ResMed Inc and is in use by close to a million users. He is the recipient of a 2015 National Science Foundation Career Award, an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and the SIGMOBILE Rockstar award. He was named as MIT Technology Review's 35 Innovators Under 35, Popular Science 'brilliant 10' and twice to the Forbes' 30 Under 30 list. His group's research has earned Best Paper awards at MOBICOM, SIGCOMM, SenSys, NSDI and CHI, appeared in Science Robotics, Science Translational Medicine and Nature Digital Medicine as well as named as a MIT Technology Review Breakthrough technology of 2016 as well as Popular Science top innovations in 2015. He is an alumni of MIT (Ph.D., 2013, winner of ACM doctoral dissertation award) and IIT Madras.

Host: Pierluigi Nuzzo, nuzzo@usc.edu

Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YSl0DRVOQJetWGNAACPOYQ

Location: Online

WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YSl0DRVOQJetWGNAACPOYQ

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Talyia White