Contribute to the progress of engineering and science by solving key industry challenges!
Are you looking for a design or research project idea with real industry relevance and societal impact?
Explore this list of challenge projects to learn about technology trends, gain practical skills with MATLAB and Simulink, and make a contribution to science and engineering. Even more, you gain official recognition for your problem-solving skills from technology leaders at MathWorks and rewards upon project completion!
If you are new to MATLAB and Simulink or want to learn more, discover this comprehensive repository of resources for students 📚
Make the results of your work open and accessible to receive a certificate and endorsements from MathWorks research leads. Let us know your intent to complete one of these projects by completing the project sign-up form accessible from the project’s description page and we will send you more information about the project and recognition awards.
For more information about the program and how to submit your solution, please visit our wiki page.
If you are industry or faculty and interested in further information, to provide feedback, or to nominate a new project, contact us here.
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- Artificial Intelligence
- Autonomous Vehicles
- Big Data
- Computer Vision
- Computational Finance
- Drones
- Industry 4.0
- Robotics
- *Sustainability and Renewable Energy
- Wireless Communication
Updated: November 25, 2024
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Develop a Fault detection system for electric motors from vibration data using Model-Based design. Impact: Enhance motor reliability and reduce downtime through advanced fault detection. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Embedded AI, Machine Learning, Modeling and Simulation, Predictive Maintenance, Health Monitoring, Low-cost Hardware Industry partner:  
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Develop a Physics Informed Neural Network (PINN) for fluid flow simulation. Impact: Transform fluid dynamics with neural networks driving impactful innovations across industries. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Modeling and Simulation, Neural Networks
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Develop a CO2 detection algorithm using hyperspectral images and visualize the results geospatially. Impact: Enable precise CO2 monitoring for effective climate action. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Image Processing, Machine Learning, Signal Processing
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Design and Implement an Intelligent Energy Management System (IEMS) for Smart Grids to Optimize Energy Distribution and Consumption. Impact: Elevate efficiency and forge a sustainable world through advanced energy management. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Electrification, Modeling and Simulation, Machine Learning
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Design a control system for a multi axis solar tracker. Impact: Maximize solar irradiance to increase renewable energy production. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Control, Modeling and Simulation, Solar Panels |
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Develop a cone detection algorithm for Formula Student Driverless competition. Impact: Enable accurate detection for autonomous racing cars. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Computer Vision, Deep Learning, Modeling and Simulation |
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Develop a path planning algorithm for multiple drones flying in an urban environment. Impact: Contribute to advancing drone applications in UAM and revolutionizing the logistic industry. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, Robotics, Multi-agent System, Optimization, Sensor Fusion and Tracking, UAV, Modeling and Simulation |
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Develop a Model-Predictive Control algorithm to optimally distribute torque in a 2-motor Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) powertrain. Impact: Reduce energy consumption while maintaining best motor performance. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Automotive, Control, Electrification, Modeling and Simulation |
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Use deep learning to classify wireless signals and perform real-world testing with software defined radios. Impact: Help to mitigate the ever-increasing RF interference problem in the developed world. Expertise gained: Wireless Communication, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Image Processing, Machine Learning, Neural Networks, Software-defined Radio Industry partner: |
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Use the Deep Image Prior to solve inverse problems in imaging. Impact: Implement the Deep Image Prior to provide high-quality solutions to inverse problems in imaging that are ubiquitous in industry. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Deep Learning, Image Processing, Machine Learning, Neural Networks, Optimization, Signal Processing |
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Develop a hearing aid simulation in Simulink. Impact: Improve hearing aid simulation and create a testbed for new audio processing algorithm prototyping. Expertise gained: Signal Processing, Audio, Modeling and Simulation |
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Design and train a deep learning model to compose music. Impact: Generative music models can be used to create new assets on demand. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Neural Networks, Audio |
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a CO2 emission model from historical data and create a plan to achieve carbon neutrality in the future. Impact: Set up a strategy for carbon neutrality and consolidate the international collaboration. Expertise gained: Computational Finance, Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Modeling and Simulation, Machine Learning |
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Develop an augmented reality system to enhance a photo or video of a 2D architectural floor plan printed on paper with a virtual 3D representation of the structure. Impact: Develop a proof-of-concept augmented reality system to aid in architectural design. Expertise gained: Computer Vision, Image Processing, Sensor Fusion and Tracking |
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Develop a predictive classifier model able to discriminate jets produced by top quark decays from the background jets Impact: Reduce the interference of background jets and help the discovery of new fundamental physics Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Deep Learning, Physics |
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Develop a trajectory planning for multirotor drones that minimizes energy consumption. Impact: Increase mission time of multirotor drones. Expertise gained: Drones, Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, Electrification, Modeling and Simulation, Optimization, UAV |
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Perform early-stage economic feasibility of an energy project to determine project viability. Impact: Connect economic aspect to technical design. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Modeling and Simulation, Electrification |
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Develop a fault-tolerant controller for a quadcopter using model-based reinforcement learning. Impact: Improve safety of multi-rotor drones. Expertise gained: Drones, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Control, Reinforcement Learning, UAV |
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Design and implement a visual/visual-inertial odometry system using onboard camera for a Minidrone. Impact: Advance aerial vehicle control in contracted spaces with unforeseen environment conditions. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Computer Vision, Drones, Robotics, Aerospace, Control, Image Processing, Low-cost Hardware, Modeling and Simulation, Signal Processing, State Estimation, UAV |
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Develop a sensor fusion algorithm for vehicle pose estimation using classical filtering or AI-based techniques. Impact: Enhance navigation accuracy of autonomous vehicles. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Sensor Fusion and Tracking, State Estimation |
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Use Deep Learning and Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) data to recognize human activities and gestures. Impact: Enable the next generation of wearable electronic devices with motion recognition. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Embedded AI, Neural Networks, Signal Processing |
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Remove vibration signals from inertial measurement units. Impact: Improve navigation systems by making them robust against vibrations. Expertise gained: Drones, Autonomous Vehicles, Robotics, Modeling and Simulation, Sensor Fusion and Tracking, State Estimation, Signal Processing |
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Design a controller to enable a micro aerial vehicle to stabilize in the scenario of an external aggressive disturbance. Impact: Contribute to advancements in aerial vehicle control in contracted spaces with unforeseen environment conditions. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, Robotics, Aerospace, Low-cost Hardware, Modeling and Simulation, State Estimation, UAV, Control |
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Develop an example that predicts and visualizes coastline impact due to rising sea levels. Impact: Assess and plan for the potential impact of climate change. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Modeling and Simulation |
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Develop a tool to identify and visualize geographical areas susceptible to landslides. Impact: Identify areas that are at risk for landslides to help mitigate devastating impacts on people and infrastructure. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Machine Learning |
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Model satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to identify conjunctions and prevent collisions with space debris, while maintaining orbital requirements. Impact: Contribute to the success of satellite mega-constellations and improve the safety of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) environment. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Control, Satellite, Modeling and Simulation |
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your own cryptocurrency trading strategies based on sentiment analysis. Impact: Have a foundation on the potential opportunities on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) portfolio analysis. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Text Analytics |
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Model and control an autonomous snake-like robot to navigate an unknown environment. Impact: Advance robotics design for hazardous environments inspection and operation in constricted spaces. Expertise gained: Robotics, Manipulators, Modeling and Simulation |
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Detect traffic lights and perform traffic light negotiation at an intersection in Unreal environment. Impact: Contribute to the advancement of autonomous vehicles traffic coordination in intersections through simulation. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Computer Vision, Automotive, Control, Deep Learning, Image Processing, Modeling and Simulation, Sensor Fusion and Tracking |
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Analyze real-world traffic data to understand, model, and predict human driving trajectories. Impact: Contribute to autonomous driving technologies and intelligent transportation research. Expertise gained: Big Data, Autonomous Vehicles, Support Vector Machines, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Automotive |
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Automatically classify behavior of tracked objects to enhance the safety of autonomous systems. Impact: Make autonomous vehicles safer by classifying behaviors of objects around them. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Vehicles, Robotics, Drones, Deep Learning, Explainable AI, Machine Learning, Mobile Robots, Neural Networks, Reinforcement Learning, Sensor Fusion and Tracking, UAV, UGV, Automotive |
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Develop a realtime collision avoidance system using ROS2 that will execute a safe vehicle response. Impact: Contribute to improving access and safety of transportation through robust automated driving systems. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Robotics, Automotive, Image Processing, Modeling and Simulation, Sensor Fusion and Tracking, Low-Cost Hardware |
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Develop a smart plant water system using Internet of Things (IoT) and low-cost hardware. Impact: Minimize the negative effects of the overuse of water in farming and preserve water resources. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Low-Cost Hardware, Deep Learning, Cloud Computing |
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Enhance the performance and product quality required to develop a motor control application. Impact: Contribute to the global transition to smart manufacturing and electrification. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Control, Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Automotive |
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Build a mini drone and use the PX4 Hardware Support package to design the flight controller using Simulink. Impact: Expedite UAV design and assembly with Model-Based Design. Expertise gained: Drones, Autonomous Vehicles, Control, Low-cost Hardware, UAV |
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Design a portable charger for Electric Vehicles. Impact: Help make electric vehicles more reliable for general use. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Control, Electrification, Modeling and Simulation |
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Predict faults in pneumatic systems using simulation and AI/machine learning. Impact: Improve efficiency and reliability of industrial processes. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0, Cyber-Physical Systems, Digital Twins, Embedded AI, Health Monitoring, IoT, Machine Learning, Modeling and Simulation |
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Design and implement a real time autonomous human tracking robot using low-cost hardware. Impact: Leverage mobile technology and deep learning to advance human detection algorithms for impacting human safety and security. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Robotics, Deep Learning, Embedded AI, Human-Robot Interaction, Mobile Robots, Modeling and Simulation, Machine Learning, Low-cost Hardware, Image Processing, Control |
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Perform robust visual SLAM using MATLAB Mobile sensor streaming. Impact: Enable visual SLAM from streaming sensors and extend the state-of-art in real-time visual SLAM algorithms. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Computer Vision, Drones, Robotics, Automotive, AUV, Mobile Robots, Manipulators, Humanoid, UAV, UGV |
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Simulate multirobot interactions for efficient algorithm design and warehouse operations. Impact: Advance the automation of warehouse applications and reduce associated time and energy consumption. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction, Humanoid, Mobile Robots |
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Develop a lightweight Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) raw data simulator. Impact: Accelerate design of SAR imaging systems and reduce time and cost for their development for aerial and terrestrial applications Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Automotive, AUV, Image Processing, Signal Processing, Radar Processing |
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Develop an efficient method for detecting small changes on Earth surface using hyperspectral images. Impact: Revolutionize the management of natural resources, monitoring, and preventing of disasters, going beyond what is visible to the naked eye. Expertise gained: Computer Vision, Image Processing, Deep Learning |
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Design and implement a motion planning algorithm for off-road vehicles on rough terrain. Impact: Expand the frontiers of off-road exploration and navigation using mobile robots for precision agriculture, firefighting, search and rescue, and planetary exploration. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Computer Vision, Robotics, Image Processing, Mobile Robots, SLAM, UGV, Optimization |
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Develop an algorithm to compute an optimal path for racing tracks. Impact: Push racing car competitions into fully autonomous mode Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Automotive, Optimization, Modeling and Simulation |
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Implement Active Disturbance Rejection Control (ADRC) algorithm for closed-loop speed control system for a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM). Impact: Improve the customer experience with advanced control strategies to handle the sudden changes in the load with better dynamic control performance. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Electrification, Control, Modeling and Simulation, Reinforcement Learning |
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Design an antenna to optimize transmission and reception in indoor environment. Impact: Maximize indoor radio signal coverage and reduce energy consumption of signal booster devices. Expertise gained: Wireless Communication, Optimization, Smart Antennas |
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Design a large antenna array and optimize its multiple design variables to achieve desired transmission/reception characteristics. Impact: Advance long distance communication capabilities for astronomical applications Expertise gained: Wireless Communication, Smart Antennas, Optimization |
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Develop a model of a reversible fuel-cell integrated into a renewable-energy microgrid structure. Impact: Contribute to the global transition to zero-emission energy sources through the production of hydrogen from clean sources. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Electrification, Digital Twins, Modeling and Simulation |
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Implement algorithms to automatically label data for deep learning model training. Impact: Accelerate the development of robust AI algorithms for self-driving vehicles. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Deep Learning, Machine Learning |
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Leverage a deep learning approach to extract behavioral models of mixed-signal systems from measurement data and circuit simulation. Impact: Accelerate mixed-signal design and analysis thereby reducing Time-To-Market for semiconductor companies. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Modeling and Simulation, Neural Networks, RF and Mixed Signal, Optimization, Signal Processing |
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Build and evaluate an electrical household heating system to help minimize human environmental impact and halt climate change. Impact: Contribute to the global transition to zero-emission energy sources by electrification of household heating. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Digital Twins, Electrification, Modeling and Simulation |
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Evaluate electric aircraft energy requirements, power distribution options, and other electrical technologies. Impact: Contribute to the global transition to zero-emission energy sources by electrification of flight. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Digital Twins, Electrification, Modeling and Simulation, Zero-fuel Aircraft |
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Develop a deep learning approach for signal integrity applications. Impact: Accelerate signal integrity design and analysis to enable society with more robust and connected internet communications. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Modeling and Simulation, Neural Networks, RF and Mixed Signal |
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Improve the reliability of wind turbines by using machine learning to inform a predictive maintenance model. Impact: Contribute to providing the world with reliable green energy. Expertise gained: Industry 4.0, Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Machine Learning, Electrification, Modeling and Simulation, Predictive Maintenance, Wind Turbines |
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Improve performance, stability, and cost effectiveness of data centers by designing a cooling algorithm that keeps the system running as efficiently as possible. Impact: Contribute to the performance, reliability, and efficiency of data centers worldwide. Expertise gained: Big Data, Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Cloud Computing, Control, Deep Learning, Modeling and Simulation, Parallel Computing, Predictive Maintenance |
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Model a modern HVAC system and design a controller to improve heating, cooling, ventilation, air quality, pressure, humidity, and energy efficiency. Impact: Contribute to the design and control of modern homes and buildings to preserve energy and healthy living environments. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Modeling and Simulation, Electrification, Control |
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Improve range, performance, and battery life by designing a cooling algorithm that keep EV battery packs cool when they need it most. Impact: Contribute to the electrification of transport worldwide. Increase the range, performance, and battery life of EVs. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Automotive, Control, Electrification, Modeling and Simulation, Optimization |
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Develop a deep learning neural network for audio background noise suppression. Impact: Advance hearing aid technology through research in speech enhancement and noise suppression and improve the quality of life of persons with a hearing impairment. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Neural Networks, Signal Processing |
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Improve the accuracy of satellite navigation systems by using non-binary LDPC codes. Impact: Accelerate the development of modern satellite navigation receivers. Expertise gained: Wireless Communication, GNSS |
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Monitor and control an industrial scale bioreactor process for pharmaceutical production. Impact: Improve quality and consistency of pharmaceutical products and contribute to transitioning the pharmaceutical sector to Industry 4.0. Expertise gained: Big Data, Industry 4.0, Control, IoT, Modeling and Simulation, Optimization, Machine Learning |
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Automate the process of infrastructure inspection using \ aerial vehicles and deep learning. Impact: Enhance safety and speed of infrastructure inspection across a wide range of industries. Expertise gained: Computer Vision, Drones, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, UAV, SLAM, Deep Learning |
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Design a 3D virtual environment to test the diverse conditions needed to develop an autonomous vehicle. Impact: Contribute to autonomous vehicle development by creating virtual test scenes that can be used with many simulators across multiple vehicle development programs. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Automotive, Modeling and Simulation |
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Develop and use models of humanoid robots to increase understanding of how best to control them and direct them to do useful tasks. Impact: Accelerate the deployment of humanoid robots to real-world tasks including in healthcare, construction, and manufacturing. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Control, Cyber-Physical Systems, Deep Learning, Humanoid, Human-Robot Interaction, Machine Learning, Mobile Robots, Modeling and Simulation, Optimization, Reinforcement Learning |
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Gain practical experience in wireless communication by designing inexpensive software-defined radios. Impact: Develop your own expertise in wireless technology and drive this megatrend forward, in industry and society. Expertise gained: Wireless Communication, Low-Cost Hardware, Modeling and Simulation, Signal Processing, Software-Defined Radio Endorsed by: |
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Design an intelligent fan cooling system to moderate temperatures in a building to eliminate or reduce the need for air conditioning systems. Impact: Contribute to energy and carbon footprint reduction. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Control, Modeling and Simulation, Optimization |
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Reduce the cost of Wireless Communication and IoT network deployment by generating coverage maps from limited measurements. Impact: Contribute to the evolution and deployment of new wireless communications systems. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Wireless Communication, Machine Learning |
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Realistic synthetic sensor data will soon eliminate the need of collecting tons of real data for machine learning based perception algorithms. Accelerate this transition by creating a real-time camera distortion model. Impact: Reduce development efforts of autonomous vehicles and robots. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Vehicles, Computer Vision, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Modeling and Simulation, Neural Networks |
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Help accelerate the design and development of autonomous systems by providing a framework for mechanical actuators analysis and selection. Impact: Help evaluate and select actuation systems across multiple industries (robotic, automotive, manufacturing, aerospace) and help designers come up with novel actuation solutions. Expertise gained: Drones, Robotics, Control, Cyber-physical Systems, Electrification, Humanoid, Manipulators, Modeling and Simulation |
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Reduce the effort required to properly develop a battery pack optimized for an automotive drive cycle. Impact: Contribute to the global transition to zero-emission energy source. Expertise gained: Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Control, Electrification, Optimization, Parallel Computing |
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Rotor-flying manipulation will change the future of aerial transportation and manipulation in construction and hazardous environments. Take robotics manipulation to the next level with an autonomous UAV. Impact: Transform the field of robot manipulation. Expertise gained: Drones, Robotics, Manipulators, Modeling and Simulation, UAV |
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Internal combustion engines will continue to be used in the automotive marketplace well into the future. Build a MIMO airflow control to improve engine performances, fuel economy, and emissions, and start your career in the automotive industry! Impact: Improve environmental friendliness of engine control by tier 1 automotive supplier. Expertise gained: Autonomous Vehicles, Automotive, Control, Modeling and Simulation |
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Smart devices and robots have become part of our everyday life and human-robot interaction plays a crucial role in this rapidly expanding market. Talking to a machine is going to complete change the way we work with robots. Impact: Open up the opportunities to create robots that can be an intuitive part of our world. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Robotics, Signal Processing, Natural Language Processing, Mobile Robots, Human-Robot Interaction, Low-Cost Hardware |
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Legged robots with manipulators will be the ideal platforms to traverse rough terrains and interact with the environment. Are you ready to tackle the challenge of operating robots outdoor? Impact: Contribute to state-of-the-art technologies for exploration and search and rescue transformation. Expertise gained: Robotics, Control, Image Processing, Manipulators, Mobile Robots, Modeling and Simulation |
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After robots conquered ground, sky and space, they are going deep sea next. Explore the frontier of autonomous underwater vehicles by doing a project on robot collaboration and competition underwater. Impact: Advance underwater exploration and AUVs collaboration for the future of ocean engineering. Expertise gained: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, AUV, Embedded AI, Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Sensor Fusion and Tracking, SLAM |
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Revolutionize the current transportation system by improving autonomous vehicles localization for level 5 automation. Impact: Contribute to the change of automobile industry, and transportation system. Expertise gained: Computer Vision, Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, SLAM, State Estimation, Sensor Fusion and Tracking |
