Hello.

My name is Pras Velagapudi.  I am a project scientist at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. I also provide consulting services for businesses looking to integrate robotic technologies.

Research Interests

At present, my research interests are divided between two equally interesting topics: large cooperative robotic teams and personal robotics.

Cooperative Robotics

In very large teams (100s – 1000s), it becomes increasingly difficult for robots to maintain a complete picture of the team state. I am interested in techniques for intelligently routing, fusing, and interpreting the utility of pieces of information in large teams. I work primarily with small, low-cost fleets of autonomous boats and aircraft.

Personal Robotics

As robots become increasingly useful in our day-to-day lives, it is important to consider how they can perform tasks and interact with humans in human environments. I am interested in methods of studying, modeling, and planning for robust interaction in human-centric environments like homes and offices.