I am currently a PhD candidate under Kevin Lynch and Malcolm MacIver in the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Laboratory of Intelligent Mechanical Systems at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL). I also have a masters degree in computer system engineering (Sydney University) and both an M.S. and B.S. in mechanical engineering (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign). My diverse engineering background covers disciplines of mechanical, electrical, computer, and biomedical engineering.
Part of my PhD research is on the development and implementation of a novel sensing modality and a complementary controller. The sensory system is inspired by the electrosense of the weakly electric fish. These types of fish emit a weak electric field (~ 1mV/cm) and sense perturbations to locate prey. I have developed a closed-loop robotic electrolocation system capable of locating and tracking underwater targets.
I am also investigating the interdependencies and co-optimization between sensing and motion. I use the prey-capture task of the weakly-electric fish as a model system. I have developed a method for simulating sensory acquisition and probabilistic belief maintenance for the prey-capture task. Preliminary results from the simulation suggest that the sensing and motion system has coevolved to efficiently localize (via electrosense) and capture its prey.
I am currently seeking employment for early 2008. I have a strong preference
to stay in the Chicago-land (northern Illinois) area.
My areas of expertise include:
- Controls
- Sensing
- Robotics
- Electromechanical Systems
- Mechatronics
- Computer control of mechanical systems
- Sensing and control in stochastic systems
- Biologically-inspired engineering
- Computer simulation (MATLAB)
- Information/data filtering
- Systems Engineering
- Sensor Fusion
