TechTalk Explore: Autonomous Navigation of Quadrocopters with Jakob Engel

| by Axel | published under GameDuell

Since 2010 GameDuell has established the TechTalk event series, where pioneers of web technology introduce their vision to IT experts and senior developers. Opening up the scope to offer a view beyond the horizon of regular web development topics, GameDuell invites to TechTalk Explore taking place on 29. May 2013 at 6:30 pm.

Embracing more experimental topics the event caters to tech-interested participants from a broader range of disciplines.
Siemens award winner Jakob Engel will present a method for the autonomous navigation of unmanned air vehicles using optical recognition to reconstruct 3D models of the environment. Presenting his research on computer vision, he will deliver an in-depth insight into the exciting field of applied computer technology.

Live Demo of autonomous quadrocopter

Quadrocopters are unmanned small-scale helicopters with four rotors that no longer only serve as fascinating toys, but offer many serious applications.
They are about to become essential tools for exploration, surveillance and mapping of difficult-to-reach or hazardous areas. Siemens award winner Jakob Engel explores novel methods that allow quadrocopters to navigate autonomously or with minimal human supervision in unknown terrain using one or more onboard optical cameras as main source of information.
Acquired image data is used to reconstruct dense, three-dimensional models and maps of the environment.

Take Aways

The first issue of TechTalk Explore will offer a fascinating look into the research in the field of computer vision, in particular with respect to recently developed methods for visual navigation and 3D reconstruction.
The speaker will introduce a method that allows a quadrocopter to navigate autonomously in small indoor environments, which is available as open-source software package in ROS (robot operating system).
The talk will be delivered in English and accompanied by a live demonstration of the system.

About the speaker

Since 2012 Jakob Engel is doing research about methods for the visual navigation of unmanned air vehicles at the Computer Vision chair of the Technical University Munich. For his master thesis about "autonomous camera-based navigation of a quadrocopter" he was granted the Siemens award that honors outstanding final papers of students in the technological sector.

Schedule

18:30 – Doors open

19:00 – TechTalk Explore by Jakob Engel
20:00 – Q & A
20:30 – Get Together with drinks and snacks

Sign up

Please register by sending an e-mail with the subject "Registration for TechTalk Explore" containing your name, company, position and e-mail address to techtalk@gameduell.de.

(By registering for GameDuell TechTalks incl. TechTalk Explore you acknowledge to transfer image copyrights to the hosting organization. GameDuell is allowed to take pictures and videos of the event and to use them for documentation, publication and marketing purposes. We will add your e-mail address to our invitation list for the event series. You can opt-out any time by just informing us via techtalk@gameduell.de.)