Optimization

MERL is seeking interns passionate about robotics to contribute to the development of an Active Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (Active SLAM) framework guided by Large Language Models (LLM). The core objective is to achieve autonomous behavior for mobile robots. The methods will be implemented and evaluated in high performance simulators and (time-permitting) in actual robotic platforms, such as legged and wheeled robots. The expectation at the end of the internship is a publication at a top-tier robotic or computer vision conference and/or journal.

The internship has a flexible start date (Spring/Summer 2025), with a duration of 3-6 months depending on agreed scope and intermediate progress.

Required Specific Experience

• Current/Past Enrollment in a PhD Program in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• Experience with employing and fine-tuning LLM and/or Visual Language Models (VLM) for high-level context-aware planning and navigation
• 2+ years experience with 3D computer vision (e.g., point cloud, voxels, camera pose estimation) and mapping, filter-based methods (e.g., EKF), and in at least some of: motion planning algorithms, factor graphs, control, and optimization
• Excellent programming skills in Python and/or C/C++, with prior knowledge in ROS2 and high-fidelity simulators such as Gazebo, Isaac Lab, and/or Mujoco

Additional Desired Experience

• Prior experience with implementation and/or development of SLAM algorithms on robotic hardware, including acquisition, processing, and fusion of multimodal sensor data such as proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors

MERL is seeking a graduate student to develop a scalable optimization-based framework for feedforward-feedback co-design for nonlinear dynamical systems subject to path constraints. The framework will 1) support modeling and operational uncertainties, and 2) guarantee static and dynamic feasibility in closed-loop. The solution approach will leverage the state-of-the-art in sequential convex programming, contraction analysis, and first-order methods for semidefinite programming. The methods will be evaluated on high-dimensional motion planning problems in robotics. The results of the internship are expected to be published in top-tier conferences and/or journal in robotics, control systems, and optimization.

The internship is expected to start in Spring or Summer 2025 with an expected duration of 3-6 months depending on the agreed scope and intermediate progress.

Required Specific Experience

• Current/Past enrollment in a Ph.D. program in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Applied Mathematics.
• 2+ years of research in at least some of: first-order algorithms for SDPs, contraction analysis, nonconvex trajectory optimization.
• Strong programming skills in Python and/or C/C++.

MERL is looking for a highly motivated individual to work on whole-body dexterous manipulation. The research will develop robot motor skills for whole-body, dexterous manipulation using optimization and/or learning algorithms. The ideal candidate should have experience in either one or multiple of the following topics: Optimization Algorithms for contact systems, Reinforcement Learning, control through contacts, and Behavioral cloning. Senior PhD students in robotics and engineering with a focus on contact-rich manipulation are encouraged to apply. Prior experience working with physical robotic systems (and vision and tactile sensors) is required as results need to be implemented on a physical hardware. Good coding skills in Python ML libraries like PyTorch etc. and/or relevant Optimization packages is required. A successful internship will result in submission of results to a peer-reviewed robotics journal in collaboration with MERL researchers. The expected duration of internship is 4-5 months with start date in May/June 2025. This internship is preferred to be onsite at MERL.

Required Specific Experience

• Prior experience working with physical hardware system is required.
• Prior publication experience in robotics venues like ICRA,RSS, CoRL.