Events for April
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ECE Seminar: Joint Wireless Communication and Sensing in mmWave and Terahertz Spectrum
Wed, Apr 01, 2020 @ 01:15 PM - 02:15 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Yasaman Ghasempour, Ph.D. Candidate, ECE, Rice University
Talk Title: Joint Wireless Communication and Sensing in mmWave and Terahertz Spectrum
Abstract: Millimeter-wave and terahertz bands are emerging as the most promising spectrum to meet the data-rate and latency demands of future wireless applications, including virtual reality and autonomous cars. Moreover, large spectral availability and mm-scale wavelength provide the possibility for ubiquitous and high-resolution sensing. My research builds a foundation for joint communication and sensing in such high-frequency regimes. This perspective yields a paradigm shift in the design and development of future wireless systems. In this talk, I will present the world's first single-shot and single-antenna motion sensing system in THz bands. We demonstrate a novel node architecture exploiting a single leaky wave antenna, which is primarily used for beam steering in THz networks. I will show how we leverage this device's spatial-spectral characteristics in new ways to enable motion sensing functionalities with a single THz pulse transmission. I will then discuss the opportunities offered by this platform to enhance next-generation communication in unprecedented ways. In particular, we tackle the mobility, blockage, and scalability challenges of highly directional THz networks by efficiently adapting steering direction for mobile users. Finally, I will share several research directions that I would like to pursue in the future.
Biography: Yasaman Ghasempour is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University. She received her Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Rice University and her Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in Iran. Her research interests include wireless communication and sensing, with a focus on emerging millimeter-wave and terahertz spectrum. She has published in top-tier IEEE and ACM conferences and journals and has been named an EECS rising star in 2019. She is also the recipient of Texas Instruments Distinguished Fellowship among multiple IEEE/ACM societies awards.
Host: Urbashi Mitra (ubli@usc.edu) and Konstantinos Psounis (kpsounis@usc.edu)
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/873150824WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/873150824
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Posted By: Mayumi Thrasher
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ECE Seminar: Safe and Data-efficient Learning for Robotics
Thu, Apr 02, 2020 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Somil Bansal, PhD Candidate, Department of EECS, University of California, Berkeley
Talk Title: Safe and Data-efficient Learning for Robotics
Abstract: Machine learning has led to tremendous progress in domains such as computer vision, speech recognition, and natural language processing. Fueled by these advances, machine learning approaches are now being explored to develop intelligent physical systems that can operate reliably in unpredictable environments. These include not only robotic systems such as autonomous cars and drones, but also large-scale cyberphysical systems such as transportation and energy systems. However, learning techniques widely used today are extremely data inefficient, making it challenging to apply them to real-world physical systems. Moreover, they lack the necessary mathematical framework to provide guarantees on correctness, causing safety concerns as data-driven physical systems are integrated in our society. We combine tools from robust optimal control theory with machine learning and computer vision to develop data-efficient and provably safe learning-based control algorithms for physical robotic systems. In particular, we design modular architectures that combine system dynamics models with modern learning-based perception approaches to solve challenging perception and control problems in a priori unknown environments in a data-efficient fashion. Moreover, due to their modularity, these architectures are amenable to simulation-to-real transfer, and can be used for different robotic systems without any retraining. Crucially, we use models not only for faster learning, but also to monitor and recognize the learning system's failures, and to provide online corrective safe actions when necessary. This allows us to provide safety assurances for learning-enabled systems in unknown and human-centric environments, which has remained a challenge to date.
Biography: Somil Bansal completed his B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur in 2012, and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from UC Berkeley in 2014. Since 2015, he is pursuing a PhD degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley, under the supervision of Prof. Claire Tomlin in the Hybrid Systems Laboratory. His research interests are in exploring how machine learning tools can be combined with the control theoretic frameworks to develop data-efficient and safe learning-based control algorithms for physical robotic systems, especially when the system is operating in an uncertain environment. During his PhD, he has also worked closely with companies like Skydio, Google, Boeing, as well as NASA Ames. Somil has received several awards, most notably the outstanding graduate student instructor award at UC Berkeley and the academic excellence award at IIT Kanpur.
Host: Ashutosh Nayyar, ashutosn@usc.edu
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/811254572WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/811254572
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Posted By: Mayumi Thrasher
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Intellithon
Thu, Apr 23, 2020
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Intelligence Community Representatives, Government
Talk Title: Intellithon
Abstract: nterested in science and technology for intelligence?
Students from our consortium schools (USC, San Jose State University, Florida A&M, and Santa Monica College) are invited to apply for participation in our first annual Intellithon (April 23-24).
The event, to be held on the USC campus, will feature student team contests and networking opportunities with intelligence community professionals.
Host: USC Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence
More Info: https://sites.usc.edu/iccae/apply/
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Posted By: Jennifer Ramos/Electrophysics
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Remarkable Trajectory Seminar - Professor John Silvester
Thu, Apr 23, 2020 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Professor John Silvester, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering / Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Perspectives from a 3-Phase Academic Career
Series: Remarkable Trajectory
Abstract: Phase I -“ Research and Teaching (1979 -“ 2020) It was 1979 when I joined the Electrical Engineering Department at USC. I was affiliated with the Computer Engineering and the Communication Sciences Groups since my research areas were Computer Networks and Computer Architecture. My Ph.D. work was related to "Packet Radio" -“ an area that developed many of the key concepts we find in current cellular and other mobile network architectures. A few years later, my research interests moved to network service integration (Everything Over the Internet) and my research group started to look at techniques to better understand network design and optimization for this Brave New World.
Phase II -“ Academic Technology Strategy Development (1994 -“ 2006) In 1994, I wrote a position paper about the decentralization of computing infrastructure (the move away from large mainframes to mini- and micro-computers) which also discussed the potential for service integration to Internet-based communication. I was asked by the Provost to take on a short-term (one-year) 50% time position to make some recommendations regarding a future strategy for Computing (both Administrative and Academic) and Communications (Internet and Telephony) for USC. Twelve years later I returned to my full-time faculty position in EE, after 3 years as (half-time) Vice-Provost for Academic Computing) and 9 years (full-time) as Vice-Provost for Scholarly Technology. Those were "interesting and challenging times" -“ remember that the Internet went "main-stream" around 1994-6. During that time, I became involved in Advanced Research and Education Network development, at the State, National, and International levels (Internet2, CENIC, Pacific Wave, APAN.)
Phase III -“ Academic Politics (and Service) (2007 -“ 2019) I served on many School and University Committees over the years, culminating in several years on the Engineering Faculty Council, of which I was Chair for 2 terms, and on the Academic Senate for 5 years with 3 years on the Academic Senate Executive Committee and one year as Academic Senate President. This was during a period of growth and change at USC that presented many challenges.
Host: ECE Department
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Posted By: Benjamin Paul
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Intellithon
Fri, Apr 24, 2020
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Intelligence Community Representatives, Government
Talk Title: Intellithon
Abstract: nterested in science and technology for intelligence?
Students from our consortium schools (USC, San Jose State University, Florida A&M, and Santa Monica College) are invited to apply for participation in our first annual Intellithon (April 23-24).
The event, to be held on the USC campus, will feature student team contests and networking opportunities with intelligence community professionals.
Host: USC Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence
More Info: https://sites.usc.edu/iccae/apply/
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Posted By: Jennifer Ramos/Electrophysics
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Center for Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet of Things and Ming Hsieh Institute Seminar
Wed, Apr 29, 2020 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Sicun Gao, University of California San Diego
Talk Title: Automated Reasoning for Reliable Autonomy
Series: Center for Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet of Things
Abstract: We face grand challenges as computer systems start engaging us physically with high levels of autonomy. Their tight integration of computational and mechanical components generates behaviors that have not been well-studied in computer science or control engineering. The AI components in these systems complicate software execution flows with nonlinear functions, probabilistic reasoning, and error-prone numerical computation. I will describe a framework for automating the design and implementation of reliable autonomous systems, and the need for powerful algorithmic approaches that combine the full power of combinatorial search, numerical optimization, and statistical learning. I will discuss challenges and opportunities in these directions and how they affect the practicality of autonomy.
Biography: Sicun Gao is an Assistant Professor in Computer Science and Engineering at UC San Diego. He works on automated reasoning and design automation for autonomous and cyber-physical systems. He received BS from Peking University, PhD from Carnegie Mellon University, and was a postdoctoral researcher at MIT. His awards include the Air Force Young Investigator Award, Silver Medal for the Kurt Godel Research Fellowship Prize, and Honorable Mention for the CMU School of Computer Science Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation.
Host: Paul Bogdan, pbogdan@usc.edu
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Posted By: Talyia White
