Center of Biomechatronics & Robotics
Special mission: animal robotics and avian aerodynamics with stereo-imaging and real-world validated control pipelines.
Focus
- Avian Aerodynamics: Stereo camera-based 3D tracking and aerodynamic efficiency analysis of bird flight using Strouhal and Reynolds number metrics.
- Bio-inspired Robotics: Wing kinematic modeling and actuation for agile flapping-wing aerial vehicles inspired by avian and insect locomotion.
- Prosthetics & Exoskeletons: Design and control of biomechatronic limb systems integrating EMG sensing, soft actuators, and adaptive control.
- Embedded Vision & Control: Onboard stereo vision, IMU fusion, and uncertainty-aware control pipelines for autonomous robotic platforms.
- Human-Robot Interaction: Intuitive control interfaces, intent recognition, and compliant robot behavior for safe HRI in unstructured environments.
- Change-point detection and HMM-based behavioral state estimation for robotic systems.
- Simulation-to-reality transfer pipelines for validating robotic controllers in real-world conditions.
Research Domains
Avian Flight Analysis
High-speed stereo camera systems for capturing and reconstructing 3D bird flight trajectories. Quantitative aerodynamic analysis including lift coefficient estimation, wing loading, and flight efficiency across species and conditions.
Bio-inspired Robotics
Flapping-wing micro aerial vehicles (FWMAVs) and soft robotic limbs derived from biological principles. Kinematics-driven actuator design for energy-efficient and agile locomotion in air and on land.
Prosthetics & Exoskeletons
Biomechatronic prosthetic hands and lower-limb exoskeletons controlled via EMG and neural signals. Focus on patient-adaptive control, comfort, and real-time responsiveness for assistive applications.
Embedded Vision Systems
Low-power onboard stereo vision for depth estimation, obstacle avoidance, and object tracking. Integration with IMU data for stable state estimation in GPS-denied and outdoor environments.
Autonomous Control
Uncertainty-aware model predictive control and reinforcement learning policies for robotic platforms. Real-world validated control pipelines with sim-to-real transfer and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
Human-Robot Interaction
Intent prediction and shared autonomy frameworks for collaborative robotics. Natural gesture and EMG-based interfaces enabling seamless control of robotic and assistive devices.
Active Projects
Avian Flight Stereo
Multi-camera stereo rig for outdoor bird tracking. Full pipeline from calibration and 3D reconstruction to Strouhal/Reynolds aerodynamic analysis across multiple bird species in free flight.
Robotic Wing Platform
Programmable flapping-wing testbed with high-resolution force/torque sensing. Used for benchmarking aerodynamic models and validating bio-inspired actuation strategies.
Field-Ready Vision
Embedded computer vision system for outdoor deployment. Combines stereo depth, change-point detection, and HMM-based behavioral state flags for autonomous monitoring robots.