Mathematics, Systems and Robotics Seminar 

02/04/2004, 15:00 — 16:00 — Conference Room, Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica, North Tower, 7th floor, IST
Paulo Mateus and António Pascoal, IST/CLC and IST/ISR

"Quantum Computation" and "Dynamical Systems and Marine Robotics: From theory to practice"

• Paulo Mateus - An overview of quantum computation
  
  Abstract: Its believed that with the present rate of miniaturization of computer chips the size of a memory unit will reach the quantum bound near the year 2020. This means that we will be dealing with a bit as small as an atom, the two states of which may be among other possibilities, the two directions of its spin. However, such (quantum) bits reveal several interesting properties. Capitalizing on such properties, P. Shor devised a quantum algorithm that is able to factor integers in (probabilistic) polynomial-time. Since no efficient classical factoring algorithm is known, this is a clear indication that quantum computers are exponentially faster than their classical counterparts.
  
  The main purpose of this talk is to give an overview of the main concepts involving quantum computation. We start from the postulates of quantum mechanics and end with Shor algorithm. We conclude the talk with some open problems and future research work.
  
  
• António M. Pascoal- Dynamical Systems and Marine Robotics: From theory to practice
  
  Abstract: Worldwide, there is widespread interest in bridging the gap between marine science and technology by exploring fruitful collaboration links among engineers and marine scientists, namely biologists, geologists, and oceanographers. This symbiosis is instrumental in providing engineers with complex, challenging problems in the field of marine robotics. Conversely, it will afford marine scientists increasingly complex tools to explore the ocean frontier, specially in hazardous conditions. This talk will focus on the interplay between theory and practice in marine robotics. The first part of the talk will provide a quick overview of the marine robotics field and highlight scientific and commercial applications. This will be followed by the description of challenging problems in Navigation, Guidance, and Control (NGC) that arise in the process of developing marine robots that must perform reliably at sea. Key concepts and classical as well as newly emerging design techniques in NGC will be summarized. Examples will be given of problems that are rooted in yet unsolved questions in mathematical system theory. The final part of the talk will provide the bridge between concept and practice. Hardware and software architectures for algorithm implementation on existing prototypes of surface and underwater robots developed at the Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR, pole of Lisbon) will be briefly described. Videos will show actual operations at sea.