Spencer Watza, a recent graduate in aerospace engineering from Western Michigan University, has joined the NASA Langley Autonomy Incubator team for the spring 2016 semester. Spencer is working to further develop the Visual Odometry (VO) algorithms used in our fleet of unmanned systems. While Mr. Watza's work currently focuses on UAVs, this approach to localization is utilized in many types of robots, be they legged, wheeled or aerial. When external information (such as GPS) is degraded or denied, fully
autonomous operation requires the robots to rely on alternative
localization systems like visual odometry and inertial measurement units. This multi-modal approach will enable autonomous indoor and outdoor navigation and
collaboration and play a critical role
in disaster management, industrial inspection, environmental conservation, and planetary surface exploration.
Spencer Watza
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