People

Personal Page Publications

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 82-105

Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone:

818.393.6613

Fax:

818.393.3254

FORMER MEMBER

Max Bajracharya

Member of Technical Staff

Biography

Max Bajracharya is a senior member of the Mobility and Manipulation Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA. His research focuses on applications of computer vision to autonomous mobile robots in unstructured environments. His current work includes vision-guided manipulation, learning terrain classification, autonomous instrument/tool placement, coordinated arm/vehicle tool control, and person detection. Max received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in computer science and electrical engineering from MIT in 2001.

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA

M.Eng., EE/CS, 2001

B.S., EE/CS, 2001

Professional Experience

Senior Technical Staff Member, JPL

Mobility and Manipulation Group

Principle investigator/task manager for various research tasks funded by NASA, DARPA, and U.S. Army sponsors

Experience in developing, fielding, and successfully transitioning vision-based manipulation, visual target tracking, and person detection algorithms from technology development programs to NASA space exploration missions and Army system development programs.

Experience in developing and fielding learning-based terrain classification, human detection, and manipulator tool/end-effector placement, control, and vehicle coordination in outdoor terrain.

Cognizant engineer, CLARAty (2004)

Research Interests

Applications of computer vision to autonomous robotic mobility and manipulation, particularly in unstructured and dynamic environments. Vision-guided manipulation, learning terrain classification, autonomous instrument/tool placement, coordinated arm/vehicle tool control, and person detection.

Flight Project and Research Task Involvement

Research Tasks

Human Detection
Learning Perception for Autonomous Navigation
Perception System Design for FCS ANS
SCAIP: Integrated System for Single Command Approach and Instrument Placement

Publications

2011

A. Rankin, A. Huertas, L. Matthies, M. Bajracharya, C. Assad, S. Brennan, P. Bellutta, and G. Sherwin, "Unmanned Ground Vehicle Perception using Thermal Infrared Cameras," Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 8045, 01 April 2011.

2010

N, Hudson P. Backes M. DiCicco M. Bajracharya, "Estimation and Control for Autonomous Coring from a Rover Manipulator," Proceedings IEEE Aerospace Conference, 01 January 2010.

2009

M. Bajracharya, A. Howard, L. Matthies, B. Tang, M. Turmon, "Autonomous Off-Road Navigation with End-to-End Learning for the LAGR Program," Journal of Field Robotics, 26(1), 01 January 2009.
T. K. Marks, A. Howard, M. Bajracharya, G. W. Cottrell, L. H. Matthies, "Gamma-SLAM: Visual SLAM in unstructured environments using variance grid maps," Journal of Field Robotics, 26(1), 01 January 2009.
Nicolas Hudson, Paulo Younse, Paul Backes, Max Bajrachara, "Rover Reconfiguration for Body-Mounted Coring with Slip," Proc. IEEE Aerospace Conference, 01 January 2009.
W.KIm, I. Nesnas, M. Bajracharya, R. Madison, A. Ansar, R. Steele, J. Jiesiadecki, K.Ali, "Targeted Driving Using Visual Tracking on Mars: From Research to Flight," Journal of Field Robotics, 01 January 2009.

2008

M. Bajracharya, A. Howard, L. Matthies, M. Turmon, B. Tang, "Learning long-range terrain classification for autonomous navigation," IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 01 May 2008.
T. Marks, A. Howard, M. Bajracharya, G. W. Cottrell, L. Matthies, "Gamma-SLAM: using stereo vision and variance grid maps for SLAM in unstructured environments," IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 01 May 2008.
M. Bajracharya, B. Moghaddam, A. Howard, L. Matthies, "Detecting personnel around UGVs using stereo vision," Proc. SPIE, Vol 6962: Unmanned Systems Technology X, 01 April 2008.
P. Backes, D. Helmick , M. Bajracharya, O. Khatib, V. Padois, J. Warren, "Results of Coring from a Low Mass Rover," IEEE Aerospace Confererence, 01 March 2008.
P. Backes, D. Helmick, M. Bajracharya, M. Raythattha, "Visual Feedback for Rover-based Coring," International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Automation in Space (iSAIRAS), 01 January 2008.
M. Bajracharya, P. Backes, "Enabling Reconnaissance and Return for Mars Rovers," International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Automation in Space (iSAIRAS), 01 January 2008.
N. Serrano, A. Quivers, M. Bajracharya, H. Seraji, "Evidential Terrain Safety Assessment for a Planetary Lander," International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation in Space (i-SAIRAS), 01 January 2008.

2007

A. Howard, L. H. Matthies, A. Huertas, M. Bajracharya, and A. Rankin, "Detecting Pedestrians with Stereo Vision: Safe Operation of Autonomous Ground Vehicles in Dynamic Environments," International Symposium of Robotics Research, 01 November 2007.
T. K. Marks, A. Howard, M. Bajracharya, G. W. Cottrell, L. Matthies, "Gamma-SLAM: stereo vision SLAM in unstructured environments using variance grid maps," IEEE/RSJ International Confererence on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 01 November 2007.
M. Bajracharya, M. DiCicco, K. Nickels, P. Backes, "End-Effector Position Error Compensation for Planetary Robotics," Journal of Field Robotics, 24(5), 01 May 2007.
M. DiCicco, M. Bajracharya, K. Nickels, P. Backes, "The EPEC Algorithm for Vision Guided Manipulation: Analysis and Validation," IEEE Aerospace Conference, 01 March 2007.

2006

D. Helmick,S. Roumeliotis, Y. Cheng, D. Clouse, M. Bajracharya, L. Matthies, "Slip-Compensated Path Following for Planetary Exploration Rovers," Advanced Robotics, 01 October 2006.
M. Bajracharya, M. DiCicco, P. Backes, "Vision-Based End-Effector Position Error Compensation," IEEE Aerospace Conference, 01 March 2006.
N. Serrano, M. Bajracharya, A. Howard, H. Seraji, "A Novel Tiered Sensor Fusion Approach for Terrain Classification and Safe Landing Assessment," IEEE Aerospace Conference, 01 March 2006.
N. Serrano, M. Bajracharya, A. Howard, H. Seraji, "A novel tiered sensor fusion approach for terrain characterization and safe landing assessment," Proc. IEEE Aerospace Conf., Big Sky, 01 January 2006.

2005

D. Helmick, S. Roumeliotis, Y. Cheng, D. Clouse, M. Bajracharya, L. Matthies, "Slip Compensation for a Mars Rover," IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 01 August 2005.
P. Backes, A. Diaz-Calderon, M. Robinson, M. Bajracharya, D. Helmick, "Automated Rover Positioning and Instrument Placement," IEEE Aerospace Conference, 01 March 2005.
M. Bajracharya, A. Diaz-Calderon, M. Robinson, M. Powell, "Target Tracking, Approach, and Camera Handoff for Automated Instrument Placement," IEEE Aerospace Conference, 01 March 2005.

2004

I. Nesnas, M. Bajracharya, R. Madison, E. Bandari, C. Kunz, M. Deans, M. Bualat, "Visual Target Tracking for Rover-based Planetary Exploration," IEEE Aerospace Conference, 01 March 2004.

2003

A. Howard, H. Seraji, M. Bajracharya, "Intelligent landing hazard assessment and avoidance for safe spacecraft landing," AIAA Space, 01 January 2003.
I. Nesnas, A. Wright, M. Bajracharya, R. Simmons, T. Estlin, "CLARAty and Challenges of Developing Interoperable Robotic Software," IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 01 January 2003.
I. Nesnas, A. Wright, M. Bajracharya, R. Simmons, T. Estlin, W. Kim, "CLARAty: An Architecture for Reusable Robotic Software," SPIE Aerosense Conference, 01 January 2003.

2002

M. Bajracharya, "Single Image Based Hazard Detection for a Planetary Lander," World Automation Congress, 01 January 2002.

2000

L. Iocchi, K. Konolige, M. Bajracharya, "Visually Realistic Mapping of a Planar Environment with Stereo," Internation Symposium on Experimental Robotics (ISER), 01 January 2000.