February 10, 2025, Qi Heng Ho, University of Colorado Boulder

PhD Candidate, Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
4:00 p.m.
190 Goodwin Hall 

"Enabling Reliable Space Autonomy: Planning under Uncertainty with Guarantees"

Abstract: Space exploration is entering a new era, where autonomous robots will venture deeper into our solar system, gathering crucial data about our universe. From planetary rovers to asteroid sample-return missions, these systems must operate with unprecedented levels of autonomy in extreme environments. However, they face significant uncertainties in sensing, perception, actuation, and environmental conditions. As these robotic systems tackle increasingly complex tasks, operating with guarantees on their safety and performance is crucial to ensure mission success. Explicitly and efficiently reasoning about these uncertainties is therefore essential to enable reliable and trustworthy autonomous systems.

My research addresses this fundamental challenge by developing rigorous and scalable frameworks for assured robot autonomy under uncertainty. In this talk, I will present three interconnected research thrusts aimed at achieving this goal: (1) task and motion planning algorithms that incorporate state uncertainty and closed-loop control; (2) high-level discrete decision making under uncertainty using partially observable Markov decision processes; and (3) integrating discrete decisions with continuous trajectory plans. I will conclude by outlining my research vision for the coming years: encompassing theoretical and practical system-level assurances for autonomous space systems, safe online learning and planning, and human-autonomy teaming through reasoning in the information space. My research aims to enable the next generation of space exploration while advancing fundamental theory in robotics and autonomous systems.

Bio: Qi Heng Ho is a fifth-year PhD candidate in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, and is also a visiting researcher at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His research interests include sequential decision making under uncertainty, game theory, control theory, and formal methods for robotics applications. He obtained his MS degree in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at CU Boulder and B.Eng degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National University of Singapore. Prior to his doctoral studies, he contributed to self-driving car research at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology. He has been awarded the Dean’s Graduate Assistantship, AES Departmental Fellowship, and the Dissertation Completion Fellowship at CU Boulder and is a Young NUS Fellow.