Jeffrey Uhlmann is an American research scientist who is probably best known for his mathematical generalizations of the Kalman filter

Kalman filter

In statistics, the Kalman filter is a mathematical method named after Rudolf E. Kálmán. Its purpose is to use measurements observed over time, containing noise and other inaccuracies, and produce values that tend to be closer to the true values of the measurements and their associated calculated...

. Most of his publications and patents have been in the field of data fusion

Data fusion

Data fusion, is generally defined as the use of techniques that combine data from multiple sources and gather that information into discrete, actionable items in order to achieve inferences, which will be more efficient and narrowly tailored than if they were achieved by means of disparate...

. He is also known for being a cult filmmaker and former recording artist.

Biography

Uhlmann has degrees in philosophy

Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...

, computer science

Computer science

Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...

, and a doctorate in robotics

Robotics

Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...

 from the University of Oxford

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

. He began work in 1987 at NRL's Laboratory for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics in Washington, DC, and remained at NRL until 2000. Since 2000 he has been a professor of computer science at the University of Missouri

University of Missouri

The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...

.

He served for ten years as a co-founding member of the editorial board of the ACM Journal of Experimental Algorithmics (1995-2006) before becoming co-editor of the Synthesis Lectures on Quantum Computing series for Morgan & Claypool.

Theoretical Research

Uhlmann published seminal papers on volumetric, spatial, and metric tree

Metric tree

A metric tree is any tree data structure specialized to index data in metric spaces. Metric trees exploit properties of metric spaces such as the triangle inequality to make accesses to the data more efficient...

 data structures and their applications for computer graphics

Computer graphics

Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....

, virtual reality

Virtual reality

Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...

, and multiple-target tracking. He originated the unscented transform

Unscented transform

The Unscented Transform is a mathematical function used to estimate the result of applying a given nonlinear transformation to a probability distribution that is characterized only in terms of a finite set of statistics...

 (and its use in the unscented Kalman filter) and the data fusion techniques of covariance intersection

Covariance intersection

Covariance intersection is an algorithm for combining two or more estimates of state variables in a Kalman filter when the correlation between them is unknown.-Specification:...

 and covariance union.

Applied Results

Uhlmann's results are widely-applied in tracking, navigation, and control systems, including for the NASA Mars rover program. His results relating to the constrained shortest path problem

Shortest path problem

In graph theory, the shortest path problem is the problem of finding a path between two vertices in a graph such that the sum of the weights of its constituent edges is minimized...

 and simultaneous localization and mapping

Simultaneous localization and mapping

Simultaneous localization and mapping is a technique used by robots and autonomous vehicles to build up a map within an unknown environment , or to update a map within a known environment , while at the same time keeping track of their current location.- Operational definition :Maps are used...

 are also used in rover and autonomous vehicle applications.

Films

Uhlmann has written, directed, produced, and/or acted in several prominent short and feature-length films. Notable examples include the animated short film Susan's Big Day and the feature film Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy. In recent years he has been a popular invited guest at international genre film festivals.

Music

Uhlmann recorded and released a series of albums in the 1970s and 1980s. Some of his early experimental electronic albums have been reissued in their entirety on CD or digital download while his arguably better-known songs are only available on CD compilations.

External links

• Research page
• Synthesis Lectures on Quantum Computing