All Courses
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12.410 Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy
Fundamental physical and optical principles used for astronomical measurements at visible wavelengths and practical methods of astronomical observations. Topics: astronomical coordinates, time, optics, telescopes, photon counting, signal-to-noise ratios, data analysis (including least-squares model fitting), limitations imposed by the Earth's atmosphere on optical observations, CCD detectors, photometry, spectroscopy, astrometry, and time variability. Project at Wallace Astrophysical Observatory. Written and oral project reports. Limited to XX; preference to Course 8 and Course 12 majors and minors.
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16.485 Visual Nav. for Auto Vehicles
Visual Navigation for Autonomous Vehicles (VNAV) covers theoretical foundations of vision-based navigation as well as implementation and testing of advanced algorithms in a photo-realistic Unity-based simulator. Lectures will explore fundamental tools and results from a wide spectrum of disciplines (optimization, estimation, geometry, probabilistic inference) that underlie modern techniques for real-time robot perception and 3D computer vision (including visual-inertial navigation and SLAM), control and trajectory optimization, and machine learning. Implementation and testing will be based on C++ and ROS, the Robot Operating System. Students will be given access to an advanced drone simulator and will be able to implement and test state-of-the-art algorithms and learn about the bleeding edge of autonomous navigation. The final portion of the class includes an individual or team-based project that has the goal of advancing the state of the art in vision-based navigation, according to students’ interests.