Shivakar Vulli

Research

Areas of Interest

I am currently working as an ASTRO (Advanced Short-Term Research Opportunity) appointee at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. I am working with Computational Earth Sciences group in the Computer Science and Mathematics Division. My research at ORNL involves applying and improving existing multi-variate cluster analysis methodologies, combined with other statistical and data mining techniques to facilitate model-data comparison for observations from DOE’s atmospheric radiation measurement program.

As a graduate research assistant at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, I am working with the Airborne Reconnaissance and Image Analysis (ARIA) Lab,. My research at ARIA consists several interdisciplinary projects including anomaly detection from airborne image data, image geo-registration, agent-based modeling, and robotics.

Broadly, my areas of interest include Computational Statistics, Data Mining, Machine Learning, Agent-Based Modeling, Evolutionary Computation,  Computer Vision and Robot Navigation & Path Planning. Particularly, I am interested in modeling and simulation of complex systems, novel applications of evolutionary and other bio-inspired algorithms to data mining & robotics, and applications of High Performance Computing.

Before joining ARIA, I worked on Computer Aided Design and Engineering (CAD/CAE) at V.R. Siddhartha Engineering College, India, which mainly involved Computer Aided Finite Element Analysis of Laminated Composites.


Current Research


Artificial Life as a Framework for Optimization (Funded by ARIA Lab)

Developing an Artificial Life (ALife) based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, for problems with multi-modal and dynamic fitness landscapes.


Multi-Variate Cluster Analysis (Funded by Forrest Hoffman and William Hargrove at ORNL through the ASTRO Program)

Applying and improving multi-variate cluster analysis methodologies to facilitate model-data comparison for observations from DOE’s atmospheric radiation measurement (ARM) program.

  • Parallel implementation and performance analysis of k-means clustering algorithm. The implementation is intended to cluster datasets ranging from 7 million  to 1 billion (maximum tested) observations and is scalable to thousands of processors.
  • Investigating the effect of parallel I/O settings on the performance of large number of random read and write access pattern which the implementation requires.
  • Investigating the effect of various seeding techniques on the clustering performance of k-means algorithm.
  • Investigating the efficacy of an hybrid particle optimization algorithm (PSO+k-means) for clustering applications.


Previous Research


Individual-Based Artificial Ecosystems for Design and Optimization (Mechanical Engineering Master’s Thesis)

An individual-based (agent-based) framework inspired by naturally occurring ecosystems to solve engineering design and optimization problems. A given design or optimization problem is “mapped” to the framework, which is them simply run. The solution to the given problem “emerges” through the interactions of the individuals (agents) among themselves and with their environment.

A model in this framework is created by first identifying a natural ecosystem (currently at the discretion of the modeler) capable of solving the given problem. The problem is then encoded into the selected ecosystem. Any modifications to the ecosystem which might improve the computational efficiency of the model are applied. The completed model is then run to obtain the solution to the problem.

  • Developed an individual-based (agent-based) framework inspired by naturally occurring ecosystems for solving engineering design and optimization problems.
  • Developed individual level behaviors comparable to biological processes.
  • Demonstrated the emergence of ecosystem level phenomena such as population dynamics, niche formation, adaptation to environment from individual-level interactions.

This research was funded in part by the Intelligent Systems Center (ISC) at Missouri S&T.


Airborne Minefield Detection (Funded by ARIA Lab)

Tool for image registration and anomaly detection from airborne image data.

  • Developed a C++/IPP based application for image registration using optical flow and anomaly detection using RX (Reed-Xiaoli) algorithm.
  • Designed a Qt based frontend GUI for the application.


Directional Vision Based Multi-Robot Formation Control (Funded by ISC)

A decentralized behavior based framework for multi-robot formation control using only directional vision. For more information on this project please refer project member Gerard Sequeira’s M.S. Thesis.

  • A novel approach to leader-follower based multi-robot formation control using only directional vision for formation detection, formation maintenance and formation modification.
  • Developed leader navigation, goal detection and obstacle avoidance modules for the leader robot.
  • Developed leader detection, formation maintenance and formation modification modules for the follower robots.


Real-Time Traffic Simulation (Funded by ISC)

A scaled simulation environment for studying the performance of autonomous navigation algorithms for DARPA’s Urban Challenge competition.

  • Developed a C++/OpenCV based simulation environment capable of controlling up to six radio controlled model cars.
  • Hardware consisted of six 1/28 scaled down iWaver mini cars, a Philips SPC900NC webcam running at 320×240 resolution, a PIC16F876A microcontroller for each car, and Zigbee radio for wireless communication.
  • Each car is marked with different colored contours which are detected using OpenCV to determine the location and orientation of each car.
  • Once the required parameters are calculated, the program sends necessary variables to the onboard microcontroller via radio.


Papers and Presentations


Journal Publications

  • Vallabhaneni, B. K. M., Vulli, S. S., and Kondapalli, P. K., “Prediction of Engineering Properties of GFRP lamina: Tensile behavior,” Journal of Institution of Engineers (India), Vol 86, 2006, pp191-194.

Conference Publications

  • Agarwal, S., Vulli, S., Malloy, N., Lord, E., Fairley, J., Sabol, B., Johnson, W., Ess, R., Trang, A., “Collection and Evaluation of False Alarm Signatures in Background Data,” in the Proceedings of the SPIE 2009, Detection and Sensing of Mines, Explosive Objects and Obscured Targets XIV, April 2009.
  • Sanka, A., Vulli, S., Agarwal, S., Ess, R., Trang, A. H., “Spectral and Spatial Analysis of False Alarms in Background Data,” in the Proceedings  of SPIE 2009, Detection and Sensing of Mines, Explosive Objects, and Obscured Targets XIV, April 2009.
  • Vulli, S. S., and Agarwal, S., “Individual-Based Artificial Ecosystems for Design and Optimization,” in the Proceedings of the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference 2008, GECCO ‘08, pp. 273-280, 2008.
  • Vallabhaneni, B. K. M., Vulli, S. S., Sudhakar, A.V., and Rao, U. K., “Finite Element Modeling and Simulation for the Shear and Thermal Behavior of FRP Lamina,” in the Proceedings of International Conference on Emerging Adoptive Systems and Technologies (EAST-2005), organized by Noorul Islam College of Engineering, Kumaracoil, Tamilnadu, Dec. 16-17, 2005, pp 966-975.
  • Vallabhaneni, B. K. M., Vulli, S. S., Rao, U. K., and Katta, M. R., “Prediction of Shear and Thermal properties of GFRP Laminates,” in the Proceedings of International Conference on Total Engineering, Analysis & Manufacturing Technologies (TEAM TECH2006), IISc Bangalore, Feb 28th - March 2nd 2006, pp 18-19.
  • Vallabhaneni, B. K. M., Vulli, S. S., Rao, U. K., and Katta, M. R., “Prediction of Mechanical Properties of FRP Laminates Using Finite Element Method,” International Conference on Global Manufacturing and Innovation (GMI), being organized by Coimbatore Institute of Technology jointly with University of Massachusetts, U.S.A., Coimbatore during 27-29 July 2006.
  • Pingali, V. V., Vulli, S. S., Sudhakar, A.V. and Vallabhaneni, B. K. M., “Prediction of Elastic Constants of Angle-Ply Lamina,” in the Proceedings of the National Conference on Recent Trends in Mechanical Engineering (RTIME – 2004) July 23-24, 2004, SRES College of Engineering, Kopargaon. pp. 32.

Symposiums

  • Vulli, S. S., and Agarwal S., “Artificial Life as a Framework for Systems Design,” ISC Research Symposium, Missouri S&T, Rolla, Apr. 2008.
  • Vulli, S. S., Sequeira, G. D., Agarwal S. and Krishnamurthy K., “Directional Vision Based Multi-Robot Formation Control,” ISC Research Symposium, UMR, Rolla, Apr. 2007.
  • Vulli, S. S., “Mechanical Properties of a Unidirectional Fiber-reinforced Angle-ply Lamina,” TECHNOFEST-2003, VRSEC, Vijayawada, Dec. 2003.
  • Vulli, S. S., “Design for Assembly Using Feature Technology,” 6th National Convention of ISTE Students, JNTUCE, Hyderabad, Oct. 2003.

Presentations

  • Artificial Life as a Framework for System Design, ISC Poster Presentations, UMR, Rolla, Apr. 2007.
  • Visual Perception and Navigational Learning for LAGR, ISC Poster Presentations, UMR, Rolla, Oct. 2006.
  • A Real Time Traffic Simulation for DARPA Urban Challenge, ISC Poster Presentations, UMR, Rolla, Oct. 2006.