Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Professor Senem Velipasalar has been working alongside scholars at leading universities as the Chief Technology Officer of Lamarr.AI, a startup that comes from collaborative research efforts of Syracuse University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). The startup uses drones, thermal and visible-range imaging, and AI to autonomously inspect building exteriors to lower carbon emissions, maintenance, and ownership costs. The algorithms Lamarr.AI has developed have made building energy audits faster, more affordable, and more accurate than traditional methods. 

Lamarr.AI has recently partnered with Michigan Central, a technology, mobility and cultural hub in Detroit, and Newlab, a platform that supports startups, to launch a drone inspection pilot to improve building operations and performance. The collaboration between Lamarr.AI, Michigan Central and Newlab will make use of Detroit’s Advanced Aerial Innovation Region, a testing ground for drone technology. 

The startup used drone inspection technology to analyze several city-owned buildings in Southwest Detroit, and their system found over 460 issues with insulation and potential water leakage within just a few days. These findings were shown in 3D models and combined with energy simulations, revealing that making specific upgrades could lower HVAC energy use by up to 22% in all the buildings that were tested.  

“Lamarr.AI is the product of more than 10 years of research funded by the Department of Energy and other grants. It is deeply rewarding to see the translation of our multi-disciplinary research into solving real-world problems,” says Professor Velipasalar.