CAST
Caltech's Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) is a new 10,000-square-foot research facility on the southeast side of the campus that seeks to promote interdisciplinary research in the expanding area of autonomous systems. These systems include, but are not limited to, drones and robots for use in science, industry, and medicine.
CAST is a collaboration among Caltech's Division of Engineering and Applied Science (EAS), Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences (GPS), and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech.
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VIDEOS
Cassie Goes for a Walk (1:15)
Bipedal robot Cassie goes for a walk around Caltech's campus. Engineers at CAST use Cassie to model different types of bipedal walking gaits, and are working toward a system that could autonomously adjust its gait based on the terrain in encounters. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download H264 MOV (135.2 MB) or ProRes MOV (935.2 MB)
CAST Space Robotics Laboratory (0:41)
Models for robotic spacecraft explore the frictionless lab space of Associate Professor of Aerospace Soon-Jo Chung at Caltech's new CAST building. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download H264 MOV (76.1 MB) or ProRes MOV (512.1 MB)
CAST Construction Timelapse (1:28)
Watch as the Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies comes to life on Caltech's campus. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download ProRes MOV (1.1 GB)
ADDITIONAL VIDEOS
- Drones: ProRes MOV (2.8 GB) or H264 MOV (266.4 MB)
- Prosthetic Leg Tests: ProRes MOV (1.1 GB) or H264 MOV (153.2 MB)
- Cassie in the Lab: ProRes MOV (1.7 GB) or H264 MOV (249.9 MB)
- Amber the Bipedal Robot: ProRes MOV (542.7 MB) or H264 MOV (77.1 MB)
Caltech institutional b-roll footage is also available.
INTERVIEWS
Aaron Ames on Walking Robots (2:56)
Bren Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering and Control and Dynamical Systems Aaron Ames discusses the future of walking robots, and challenges that engineers will face on the way there. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download H264 MP4 (330.3 MB) or ProRes MOV (2.3 GB)
Anima Anandkumar on CAST and Caltech (2:03)
Bren Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences Anima Anandkumar describes the collaborations made possible by Caltech and its new CAST facility. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download H264 MP4 (234.1 MB) or ProRes MOV (1.5 GB)
Soon-Jo Chung on the CAST Space Robotics Lab (1:05)
Associate professor of aerospace, Bren Scholar, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory research scientist Soon-Jo Chung shows off the ultra-smooth floor where drone "spacecraft" that have been engineered to hover through high-pressure jets (like a reverse air hockey table) simulate the frictionless motion of space flight. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download H264 MOV (85.8 MB) or ProRes MOV (802.9 MB)
Woody Fischer on Autonomous Systems as Explorers (1:17)
CAST steering committee member and professor of geobiology Woody Fischer explains why geologists and planetary scientists are key collaborators in lab for developing autonomous systems. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download H264 MOV (110.4 MB) or ProRes MOV (1 GB)
Mory Gharib on CAST (2:31)
Director of CAST and Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Bioinspired Engineering Mory Gharib discusses the future of autonomous systems research at CAST. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download H264 MOV (213.3 MB) or ProRes MOV (2 GB)
Yisong Yue on Machine Learning in Autonomous Systems (1:26)
Assistant professor of computing and mathematical sciences Yisong Yue explains how Caltech's machine learning and artificial intelligence experts will teach autonomous systems to think. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download H264 MP4 (154.2 MB) or ProRes MOV (1.1 GB)
IMAGES
Assembly Room
The CAST logo adorns the glass exterior of the assembly room, a 1,200-square-foot room with work benches and a modular design for flexibility of setup. The room includes an 85-foot-long oval track for walking robots, where researchers can design and test out new gaits. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download original (7360 x 4912): JPG (3.2 MB)
Space Robotics Lab
Twin robotic "spacecraft" hover through high pressure jets over the precision-engineered flat floor in the Space Robotics Lab. This system allows engineers to model the frictionless motion of space flight. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download original (7360 x 4912): JPG (1.2 MB)
Advanced Mobility Lab
Cassie and one of her custom-built counterparts walk through the 2,500-square-foot Advanced Mobility Lab. The lab includes multiple tracks and a 15-foot-long treadmill capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 miles per hour for testing high-speed robotic running gaits. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download original (4912 x 7360): JPG (2.9 MB)
Autonomous Flying Ambulance
One of the first goals of CAST is to develop an autonomous flying ambulance, like the functional scale model pictured here, that would have vertical take-off and landing capabilities that could reach wounded individuals in virtually any terrain. The full-sized autonomous ambulance would have an anticipated range of about 15 miles and a maximum speed of about 150 miles per hour. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download original (7152 x 4773): JPG (7.1 MB)
Wall of Fans
A quadrotor drone hovers in front of the wall of fans in the CAST Aerodrome. The 10-foot-by-10-foot wall is made up of 1,296 individually controllable fans capable of generating real-world wind conditions for testing flying vehicles. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download original (3206 x 5699): JPG (4.2 MB)
Cassie and Quadrotor Drones
Bipedal robot Cassie walks as a swarm of flying quadrotor drones autonomously tracks her movements. Different types of autonomous systems can work together to achieve a common goal. For example, these flying drones could scout terrain for Cassie as she walks, relaying information about upcoming obstacles or best possible routes. Credit: Caltech
▼ Download original (2947 x 7085): JPG (4 MB)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Additional images (folder)
- Caltech news story (PDF)
- Caltech news story (web page)
- CAST fact sheet (PDF)
- Caltech At a Glance
MEDIA CONTACTS
Robert Perkins
Content and Media Strategics
Caltech Office of Strategic Communications
626-395-1862 (office)
626-658-1053 (mobile)
rperkins@caltech.edu
Trity Pourbahrami
Director of Communications
Caltech Division of Engineering and Applied Science
626-395-8093 (office)
trity@caltech.edu