Simultaneous Tracking and Shape Estimation of Extended Objects

I Acknowledgements This thesis emerged from my time as a research assistant at the Intelligent Sensor Actuator (ISAS) lab at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). During my work on this thesis, I was supported by many people in various ways. At this point, I would like to appreciate especially those mentioned below. First and foremost, my deepest gratitude goes to Uwe D. Hanebeck for advising me and giving me the opportunity to work in his lab. Without his continuous support and helpful guidance this thesis would not have come into existence. Furthermore, I am very grateful to Peter K. Willett for co-advising me and inviting me to the University of Connecticut. Due to his exceptional hospitality and many inspiring discussions, my research stay in Connecticut was an unforgettable and rewarding experience. A special thank goes to the current and former research assistants at ISAS for their collaboration, friendship, and the great time we had together. In particular, I would like to name my co-authors I am also grateful to the numerous students that worked together with me on different research projects, especially Kai Bouché, Dominik Itte, Robin Sandkühler, and Antonio Zea. Furthermore, I am very much obliged to the secretaries and the technical staff at ISAS for their administrative and technical help in uncountable ways. Thanks go also to the Karlsruhe House of Young Scientists (KHYS) for supporting my research stay at the University of Connecticut. I would like to extend my appreciation to all my family members who supported me along the way. Particular thanks are due to my parents, sisters, and nieces for their loving care and understanding. Last but not least, I would like to thank my beloved Mira for her everlasting patience and belief in my ambitions.