Thesis: "Monitoring the Generation and Execution of Optimal Plans". Advisor: Prof. Sheila McIlraith, Cognitive Robotics Group.
Thesis: "Integrating Decision-Theoretic Planning and Programming for Robot Control in Highly Dynamic Domains". Advisor: Prof. Gerhard Lakemeyer, Knowledge Based Systems Group
Includes:
Built a UV disinfection robot complete with hardware, industrial design, and software; found a pilot customer and ran pilot for several months. Eventually pivoted to software as the market was crowded due to the pandemic.
Led the planning and control area at Robust AI. This includes how to represent the dynamic, static, and common-sense knowledge to make autonomous mobile robots perform reliably in open-world environments.
Led the software team at Savioke, consisting of nine to twelve people across three teams (Navigation, Applications, and DevOps) distributed over five countries. Served as tech-lead for the Applications and DevOps teams and still wrote and reviewed a lot of the code.
Led the robotic applications team, consisting of five software engineers at the time, both local and remote. Team was responsible for implementing the application layer software of our robots, which turns robots that know how to map, navigate, and localize themselves, into competent and friendly helpers that can perform task-level planning and create value, e.g., by delivering items. Also responsible for implementing and maintaining support infrastructure and robot control centers as well as all multi-robot coordination. Applied principles from artificial intelligence, knowledge representation, cognitive robotics, and human-robot interaction and are excited to contribute to the advancement of both theory and practice in these domains.
Led two major projects at PARC in both of which we designed and created new commercial offerings by PARC or Xerox. uFab: created the first fully automated computer aided process planning software for CNC machining (uFab). This was done over the course of four years, with the team size varying between four and seven. Mobility Marketplace project: worked with Xerox to build an open data exchange and transaction platform for urban mobility that can reduce energy consumption by facilitating multi-modal trip planning, ride-sharing, and departure time optimization. A first version of the associated app was launched on 1/27/2016 in Los Angeles (GoLA). Wrote grant proposal and secured funding from Xerox and ARPA-E totaling more than $5M.
BibBase.org is a free web-service for scientists that let's them easily set up and maintain a scientific publications page. In recent years BibBase has been growing steadily around 40% year-over-year and is used by over 5,000 researchers at institutions like Stanford, CMU, and MIT.
Proposed a predecessor project to the uFab project to DARPA and received two consecutive contracts for that. Assumed role of tech lead and co-PI and also designed and implemented the planner module (in C++). Acted as interim program manager for PARC's big data program in 2012.
Worked with Dr. Yolanda Gil on workflow synthesis as part of DARPA's Bootstrapped Learning project (by Dan Oblinger). Developed a formal framework for combining programming by demonstration, programming by natural language instruction, and planning [Paper].
Supervised and participated in the development of the robot control software deployed on our soccer robots that competed in the RoboCup Mid-Size league. Competed at the RoboCup World Cup in Padua in 2003 and in Lisbon in 2004 as well as in the German Opens in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

Christian Fritz

Menlo Park, CA  94025
christian.fritz@gmail.com
chfritz.github.io
linkedin.com/in/christianfritz
github.com/chfritz
stackoverflow.com/users/1087119
Development Background
meteor node.js
react
ros
Nvidia Isaac
git
c/c++
javascript
html
css
shell-scripting
linux
python
prolog
Research Background
cognitive robotics
artificial intelligence
planning
execution monitoring
golog
knowledge representation

Tech entrepreneur with over 20 years experience in AI and Robotics research and application.

At Savioke: Lead software development to allow a small team to support and operate a fast-growing fleet of robots -- from 6 robots to over a 100 in a few years. Inventor of over 15 patents.

At PARC: Raised over $7M in government funding from DARPA and ARPA-E. Lead R&D effort in manufacturing planning that generated IP and an MVP, sold to Sandvik.

To me innovation is not a means to an end, it's a philosophy: I like to leave things behind in a better shape than I found them. This applies to source code I modify, tools I use in a workshop, and the world at large: One day I will die and I want the world to be better off that day than the day I was born. The world is not perfect, I get it. But it's open source: don't complain, fix it!

Experience

Founder
Transitive Robotics, Menlo Park, CA
January 2021 — Present

Software components for robotic companies to operate their fleets

Co-founder and CTO
Lumin Robotics, Inc., Menlo Park, CA
December 2019 — December 2020

Built a UV disinfection robot complete with hardware, industrial design, and software; found a pilot customer and ran pilot for several months. Eventually pivoted to software as the market was crowded due to the pandemic.

Principal Scientist
Robust AI, Inc., Palo Alto, CA
August 2019 — November 2019

Led the planning and control area at Robust AI. This includes how to represent the dynamic, static, and common-sense knowledge to make autonomous mobile robots perform reliably in open-world environments.

Vice President of Software Engineering
Savioke Inc., San Jose, CA
July 2018 — August 2019

Led the software team at Savioke, consisting of nine to twelve people across three teams (Navigation, Applications, and DevOps) distributed over five countries. Served as tech-lead for the Applications and DevOps teams and still wrote and reviewed a lot of the code.

Principal Robotics Applications Engineer and Team Lead
Savioke Inc., San Jose, CA
March 2016 — June 2018

Led the robotic applications team, consisting of five software engineers at the time, both local and remote. Team was responsible for implementing the application layer software of our robots, which turns robots that know how to map, navigate, and localize themselves, into competent and friendly helpers that can perform task-level planning and create value, e.g., by delivering items. Also responsible for implementing and maintaining support infrastructure and robot control centers as well as all multi-robot coordination. Applied principles from artificial intelligence, knowledge representation, cognitive robotics, and human-robot interaction and are excited to contribute to the advancement of both theory and practice in these domains.

Founder and CEO
BibBase
2005 — Present

BibBase.org is a free web-service for scientists that let's them easily set up and maintain a scientific publications page. In recent years BibBase has been growing steadily around 40% year-over-year and is used by over 5,000 researchers at institutions like Stanford, CMU, and MIT.

Area Manager, "Representation and Planning"
Systems Science Lab, Palo Alto Research Center, Palo Alto, CA
August 2014 — March 2016

Led two major projects at PARC in both of which we designed and created new commercial offerings by PARC or Xerox. uFab: created the first fully automated computer aided process planning software for CNC machining (uFab). This was done over the course of four years, with the team size varying between four and seven. Mobility Marketplace project: worked with Xerox to build an open data exchange and transaction platform for urban mobility that can reduce energy consumption by facilitating multi-modal trip planning, ride-sharing, and departure time optimization. A first version of the associated app was launched on 1/27/2016 in Los Angeles (GoLA). Wrote grant proposal and secured funding from Xerox and ARPA-E totaling more than $5M.

Research Scientist
Intelligent Systems Lab, Palo Alto Research Center, Palo Alto, CA
October 2010 — July 2014

Proposed a predecessor project to the uFab project to DARPA and received two consecutive contracts for that. Assumed role of tech lead and co-PI and also designed and implemented the planner module (in C++). Acted as interim program manager for PARC's big data program in 2012.

Post Doctoral Research Associate
Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA
May 2009 — September 2010

Worked with Dr. Yolanda Gil on workflow synthesis as part of DARPA's Bootstrapped Learning project (by Dan Oblinger). Developed a formal framework for combining programming by demonstration, programming by natural language instruction, and planning [Paper].

Summer Intern
Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs, Murray Hill, NJ
July 2007 — September 2007

Research Assistant, RoboCup
Knowledge Based Systems Group (KBSG), RWTH Aachen University, Germany
November 2001 — July 2004

Supervised and participated in the development of the robot control software deployed on our soccer robots that competed in the RoboCup Mid-Size league. Competed at the RoboCup World Cup in Padua in 2003 and in Lisbon in 2004 as well as in the German Opens in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

Summer Intern
SAP, Walldorf, Germany
July 2001 — September 2001

Education

Ph.D., Computer Science
University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
September 2004 — April 2009

Thesis: "Monitoring the Generation and Execution of Optimal Plans". Advisor: Prof. Sheila McIlraith, Cognitive Robotics Group.

M.Sc., Computer Science (major) + Business Administration (minor)
RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
September 1998 — November 2003

Thesis: "Integrating Decision-Theoretic Planning and Programming for Robot Control in Highly Dynamic Domains". Advisor: Prof. Gerhard Lakemeyer, Knowledge Based Systems Group
Includes:
  • Business Administration (minor), specialization: "Technology and Innovation Management".
  • Study abroad at Universidad Complutense Madrid, Spain, 2000/2001.

Social Media Publications

Invited Talks

  • Joint session of the "Action" and "IntEx" workshops at the International Planning and Scheduling Conference 2019, UC Berkeley, CA: "Planning in Industry. An experience report."
  • Zoox 2016: "Mobility-as-a-Service"
  • Oracle Open World 2015: "The Xerox Mobility Marketplace"
  • Google Machine Learning Seminar 2014: "Using high-level languages to specify inductive bias"
  • ICAPS 2010, Best-thesis Runner-up Award: "Monitoring the Generation and Execution of Optimal Plans"

Publications

Patents

Granted:
  1. US 11,720,079 B2 : System and method for computer numerical control (CNC) tool without undercut features operations planning with the aid of a digital computer.
    Saigopal Nelaturi, Christian Fritz, Gregory Burton, Tolga Kurtoglu
  2. US 10,991,063 B2 : System and method for optimization of on-demand microtransit.
    Matthew E. Klenk, Christian Fritz, Rong Yang
  3. US 10,967,469 : System and method for fixture form-closure determination for part manufacturing with the aid of a digital computer .
    Saigopal Nelaturi, Arvind Rangarajan, Tolga Kurtoglu, Christian Fritz
  4. US 10,252,419: System and method for robotic delivery between moving targets.
    Christian Fritz, Adrian Canoso, Robert S. Bauer, Izumi Yaskawa, Steve Cousins
  5. US 10,698,413: Apparatus, System, and Method for Mobile Robot Relocalization.
    Tessa Lau, Christian Fritz, Philipp Herget, Robert S. Bauer.
  6. US 10,564,626 B2: Planning Of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining Operations With The Aid Of A Digital Computer.
    Saigopal Nelaturi, Christian Fritz, Gregory Burton, Tolga Kurtoglu.
  7. US 10,300,570: System And Method For Determining Spatial Locations Of Fixture Element Fixturing Points On A Part To Be Manufactured With The Aid Of A Digital Computer.
    Saigopal Nelaturi, Arvind Rangarajan, Tolga Kurtoglu, Christian Fritz.
  8. US 10,191,474: System and Method For Locating Clamping Points For A Part To Be Manufactured Through Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining Operations With The Aid Of A Digital Computer.
    Saigopal Nelaturi, Gregory Burton, Christian Fritz, and Tolga Kurtoglu. 2013.
  9. US 9,939,814: Computer System and Method for Automated Mapping by Robots.
    Robert S. Bauer, Alain Minier, Stephan Wirth, Lucas Chiesa, Christian Fritz, Adrian Canoso. 2017.
  10. US 10,089,140: Dynamically adaptive, resource aware system and method for scheduling.
    Shekhar Gupta, Christian Fritz, and Johan de Kleer. 2015.
  11. US 9,934,071: Pervasive State Estimation and an Application to Distributed Systems.
    Shekhar Gupta, Christian Fritz, Johan de Kleer. 2015.
  12. US 9,934,071B2: Job scheduler for distributed systems using pervasive state estimation with modeling of capabilities of compute nodes.
    Shekhar Gupta, Christian Fritz, Johan de Kleer. 2015.
  13. US 9,875,142: System and Method for Efficient Task Scheduling in Heterogeneous, Distributed Compute Infrastructures via Pervasive Diagnosis.
    Christian Fritz, Shekhar Gupta, Johan de Kleer, Robert Price. 2013.
  14. US 9,672,064: Dynamically Adaptive, Resource Aware Scheduler.
    Shekhar Gupta, Christian Fritz, Johan de Kleer. 2014.
  15. US 9,235,658: Automated Fixture Configuration for Rapid Manufacturing Planning.
    Saigopal Nelaturi, Arvind Rangarajan, Tolga Kurtoglu, Christian Fritz. 2013.
  16. US 9,566,679 Computer-implemented system and method for determining spatial locations of fixture element fixturing points on a part to be manufactured
    Saigopal Nelaturi, Arvind Rangarajan, Tolga Kurtoglu, Christian Fritz. 2013.
  17. US 9,292,626: Computer numerical control (CNC) machining tool and method for controlling a CNC machining tool
    Saigopal Nelaturi, Gregory Burton, Christian Fritz, Tolga Kurtoglu. 2015.
  18. US 8,849,634: Method for Identifying the Maximal Packing Density of Shifting-tiles Automated Warehouses.
    Christian Fritz, Minh Binh Do, Serdar Uckun. 2011.
Pending:
  1. A patent in the robotic disinfection space. Not yet published.

Scholarships and Awards

  • IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Best Application Paper Award, IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering — CASE 2015, August 2015, Gothenburg, Sweden. for "Automatic Spatial Planning for Machining Operations", Nelaturi, S., Burton, G., Fritz, C., and Kurtoglu, T.
  • PARC 2011 Exceptional Performance Award.
  • The 2011 International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces Best Paper Award Nomination.
  • Triplification Challenge 2010 Open Track Award Honorary Mention.
  • The International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS) 2010 Best Dissertation Award Honorable Mention.
  • Wolfond Fellowship, University of Toronto, 2008.
  • The International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS) 2007 Best Doctoral Consortium Paper Award.
  • Springorum-Denkmünze (University Medal) RWTH Aachen, 2004.
  • Scholarship by sd&m (http://www.sdm.de) in 2002 and 2003 (one awarded annually at RWTH Aachen).

Teaching and Student Supervision

  • Teaching Assistant, "Programming on the Web" (CSC 309, University of Toronto).
    Summer 2007.
  • Teaching Assistant, "Principles of Programming Languages" (CSC 324, University of Toronto).
    Summer 2005, Fall 2005, Summer 2006, Winter 2007, and Summer 2008.
  • Teaching Assistant, "Introduction to Artificial Intelligence" (CSC 384, University of Toronto).
    Winter 2005, Winter 2006, Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Winter 2008, and Fall 2008.

    My duties included giving lectures, designing and marking assignments and exams, conducting tutorials, holding office hours, and answering student questions via email, on the course newsgroup, or in person.

I supervised the following students:
  • Oliver Stollmann,
    Master's student from ETH Zürich, Switzerland, doing his thesis project work at PARC. 2013
  • Shekhar Gupta,
    PhD student from TU Delft, Netherlands, doing his doctoral thesis work at PARC. 2012-2015.

Academic Service

I have co-organized the following workshop:
  • "Generalized Planning: Macros, Loops, Domain Control", held at The 19th Intl. Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS), September 20th, 2009, Thessaloniki, Greece.
I have served on grant proposal review panels for:
  • The German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (2016)
  • NSF, Intelligent Information Systems Division (2010, 2012)
I have served on the (senior-)program committee of:
  • The International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI), 2011, 2015.
  • The International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS), 2011, 2012, 2014.
  • The AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), 2010, 2011, 2012.
  • The International Conference on Principles of Knowledge Representation and Reasoning (KR). 2012.
  • The International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI), 2011.
  • The International Workshop on Non-monotonic Reasoning, Action and Change (NRAC), 2011.
  • The AAAI-2011 Workshop on Generalized Planning (GenPlan), 2011.
I have reviewed books for:
  • Springer Nature (Synthesis Collection, Morgan & Claypool), 2022.
I have reviewed for the following journals, conferences, and workshops.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AIJ), Elsevier, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010.
  • Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research (JAIR), 2013.
  • Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS), Elsevier, 2010.
  • AI Communications, The European Journal on Artificial Intelligence, 2007.
  • Knowledge Engineering Review, 2010.
  • The Intl. World Wide Web Conference (WWW), 2010.
  • The Intl. Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI), 2003, 2007, 2009.
  • The AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), 2008.
  • The Intl. Conference on Principles of Knowledge Representation and Reasoning (KR), 2006, 2008.
  • The Intl. Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS), 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.
  • The Intl. Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-agent Systems (AAMAS), 2004.
  • The German Conference on Artificial Intelligence (KI), 2004.
  • The Intl. Symposium on Logical Formalizations of Commonsense Reasoning, 2009.
  • The North East Student Colloquium on Artificial Intelligence (NESCAI), 2006.
  • The Intl. Cognitive Robotics Workshop (CogRob), 2004.

Other Skills

  • Experience with semantic web technology: RDF, OWL2, SPARQL, TripleStores, Sesame, etc.
  • Language Proficiency: English (fluent), German (native), Spanish (basic).

Portfolio

  • BibBase.org
    The easiest way to set up and maintain a scientific publications page.
    Technologies: Meteor, mongodb.
  • uFab.io
    Automated process planning for CNC machining.
    Technologies: C++, mongodb, express, angular, node.js.
  • TyPhone.xyz
    An open-source alternative to AirDroid/PushBullet.
    Technologies: Meteor, webRTC, Cordova.