Henrik I. Christensen
Encyclopedia
Henrik Iskov Christensen (born July 16, 1962 in Frederikshavn
, Denmark
) is a Danish
roboticist
and a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science in the School of Interactive Computing
at the Georgia Institute of Technology
. At Georgia Tech, Christensen served as the founding director of the Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines
(RIM@GT) and the KUKA
Chair of Robotics. Previously, Christensen was the Founding Chairman of European Robotics Research Network (EURON) and a IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Distinguished Lecturer in Robotics.
from the Frederikshavn Technical School, Denmark in 1981. He received his M.Sc. and Ph.D.
in Electrical Engineering from Aalborg University in 1987 and 1990, respectively. His doctoral thesis Aspects of Real Time Image Sequence Analysis was advised by Erik Granum.
After receiving his Ph.D., Christensen held teaching and research positions at Aalborg University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
, and the Royal Institute of Technology
. In 2006, Christensen accepted a part time position at the Georgia Institute of Technology
as a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and the KUKA
Chair of Robotics, and transitioned to full time in early 2007. At Georgia Tech, Christensen served as the founding director of the Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines
(RIM@GT), an interdepartmental research units consists of the College of Computing, College of Engineering, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute
(GTRI). During his tenure, RIM@GT experienced an unprecedented growth, including (as of 2008) 36 faculty members as well as a dedicated interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Robotics.
(currently used as Southern California Logistics Airport
), in Victorville
, California
. The course involved a 96 km (59.7 mi) urban area
course, to be completed in less than 6 hour
s while obeying all traffic
regulations.
Frederikshavn
This article is about a Danish town. For the German town, see Friedrichshafen, and for the Finnish town, see Fredrikshamn .Frederikshavn is a Danish town in Frederikshavn municipality, Region Nordjylland on the northeast coast of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark. Its name translates to...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
) is a Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
roboticist
Roboticist
A roboticist designs, builds, programs, and experiments with robots. Since robotics is a highly interdisciplinary field, roboticists often have backgrounds in a number of disciplines including computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer engineering...
and a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science in the School of Interactive Computing
Georgia Institute of Technology School of Interactive Computing
The School of Interactive Computing is an academic unit located within the College of Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology . It conducts both research and teaching activities related to interactive computing at the undergraduate and graduate levels...
at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
. At Georgia Tech, Christensen served as the founding director of the Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines
Georgia Institute of Technology Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines
The Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines is an interdisciplinary research unit at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The center was launched May, 2006, and consists of researchers from the School of Interactive Computing in the College of Computing, College of Engineering, and Georgia...
(RIM@GT) and the KUKA
KUKA
KUKA is a leading German producer of industrial robots for a variety of industries - from automotive and fabricated metals to food and plastics...
Chair of Robotics. Previously, Christensen was the Founding Chairman of European Robotics Research Network (EURON) and a IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Distinguished Lecturer in Robotics.
Biography
Christensen received his Certificate of Apprenticeship in Mechanical EngineeringMechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from the Frederikshavn Technical School, Denmark in 1981. He received his M.Sc. and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Electrical Engineering from Aalborg University in 1987 and 1990, respectively. His doctoral thesis Aspects of Real Time Image Sequence Analysis was advised by Erik Granum.
After receiving his Ph.D., Christensen held teaching and research positions at Aalborg University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
, and the Royal Institute of Technology
Royal Institute of Technology
The Royal Institute of Technology is a university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH was founded in 1827 as Sweden's first polytechnic and is one of Scandinavia's largest institutions of higher education in technology. KTH accounts for one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education...
. In 2006, Christensen accepted a part time position at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
as a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and the KUKA
KUKA
KUKA is a leading German producer of industrial robots for a variety of industries - from automotive and fabricated metals to food and plastics...
Chair of Robotics, and transitioned to full time in early 2007. At Georgia Tech, Christensen served as the founding director of the Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines
Georgia Institute of Technology Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines
The Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines is an interdisciplinary research unit at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The center was launched May, 2006, and consists of researchers from the School of Interactive Computing in the College of Computing, College of Engineering, and Georgia...
(RIM@GT), an interdepartmental research units consists of the College of Computing, College of Engineering, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute
Georgia Tech Research Institute
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the nonprofit applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
(GTRI). During his tenure, RIM@GT experienced an unprecedented growth, including (as of 2008) 36 faculty members as well as a dedicated interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Robotics.
DARPA Urban Grand Challenge
In 2007, Christensen led Georgia Tech's team in the DARPA Urban Grand Challenge as the principal investigator. The 2007 UGC was the third installment of the DARPA Grand Challenges (in 2004 and 2005), and took place on November 3, 2007 at the site of the now-closed George Air Force BaseGeorge Air Force Base
George Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located within city limits, 8 miles northwest of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. The facility was closed by the Base Realignment and Closure 1992 commission at the end of the Cold...
(currently used as Southern California Logistics Airport
Southern California Logistics Airport
Southern California Logistics Airport , also known as Victorville Airport, is a public airport located in the city of Victorville in San Bernardino County, California approximately north of San Bernardino...
), in Victorville
Victorville, California
Victorville is a city located in the Victor Valley of southwestern San Bernardino County, California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The course involved a 96 km (59.7 mi) urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
course, to be completed in less than 6 hour
Hour
The hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds...
s while obeying all traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
regulations.
Professional activities
- Associate Editor of Journal of Machine Vision and Applications, Springer Verlag (1996–2004).
- Associate Editor of Journal of Pattern Recognition and Artificial Intel ligence, World Scientific Press (1997–2005)
- Associate Editor of MIT Press series on "Intelligent Robotics and Autonomous Agents", (1997–)
- Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intel ligence (1999–2003)
- Associate Editor Robotics and Autonomous Systems journal, Elsevier, Competition Corner, (1999–2002)
- Associate Editor of AAAI AI Magazine (2000–2007)
- Associate Editor of Springer Series on "Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics", (2001–)
- Associate Editor of International Journal of Robotics Research, (2002–)
- Associate Editor of Service Robotics, (2005–)
Patents
- Position Estimation Method, H.I. Christensen & G. Zunino, World patent (WO03062937) 3 March 11, 2008
- Förfarande för en anordning på hjul, G. Zunino & H.I. Christensen, Swedish Patent (SE0200197) Mobile Robot, P. Jensfelt & H.I. Christensen, World Patent.
Honors and awards
- The Foundation Vision North 1991 Research Award. Awarded for contribution to advancement of research at the Laboratory of Image Analysis, Aalborg University. August 1991.
- Elected Officer of International Foundation of Robotics Research (2003–)
- IEEE RAS Distinguished Lecturer in Robotics (2004–2006)
- Engelberger Award for Education (2011)