I am currently in Fred Hadaegh's Guidance and Control Analysis Group at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, part of the California Institute of Technology, where I develop control and estimation algorithms for NASA's future space missions. I am currently developing technology for pinpoint landing on Mars, and Comet sample return missions. Here are some papers on pinpoint landing:
In 2007 I finished my PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Model-based Embedded and Robotics Systems group, under the supervision of Brian C. Williams. My thesis was on control and estimation of stochastic systems, especially hybrid discrete-continuous systems, and I am currently continuing research in this area. I am particularly interested in chance-constrained optimal planning, that is, finding the best plans such that the probability of failure is below a given threshold. I am interested in applications in autonomous air and space systems.
Autonomous air and space systems such as Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), planetary rovers and space probes have enormous potential in areas such as reconnaissance and space exploration. However, in order to realize this potential, a dramatic increase in the level of autonomy is necessary. My research aims to solve this problem by creating:
1. Robust stochastic control algorithms that take into account probabilistic uncertainty due to disturbances, uncertain state estimation, and uncertain modeling
2. Estimation algorithms for hybrid systems that can detect subtle changes, such as failures, in complex systems
3. Model learning algorithms for hybrid systems that can identify complex system dynamics from noisy observations, enabling model-based control and estimation techniques
Previous research has been in control and estimation for Formula One racing. My MEng thesis was with the McLaren team, and in my first year at MIT I carried out a project with the Jaguar team (now Red Bull Racing).
Past and present members of the MERS lab with whom I have worked closely on projects include Hui Li, Steve Block and Stanislav Funiak.