People

Dr. Panos S. Shiakolas Associate Professor Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX 76019-0023 USA (817) 272-5715 shiakolas@uta.edu.

Those who work at the MARS Lab are the labs greatest resource, integrating both graduate and undergraduate students at all levels of study and providing excellent educational opportunities and world class research. Some of the students are mentioned below.

PhD Level

Currently Supervised

Sunil Belligundu, PhD in ME

Masters Level
 

Current Students

Dharmesh Koladiya, MSME Expected Fall 2002
Tentative Topic: Application of Evolutionary Techniques to Optimum Electromechanical Systems Design

Vinay Chandra, MSME Expected Fall 2002
Tentative Topic: Web Based Educational Tools for Mechanical Engineers

David Wilhite, MSME Expected Fall 2002
Tentative Title: On the closed form kinematic solutions of a Stewart platform using the CB notation

Omideh Taghavi, MSME Expected Spring 2003
Tentative Topic: Fuzzy Logic Control of Non-linear Hardware in the Loop System

Radu Jitariu, MEME Expected Spring 2003
Tentative Title: Fuzzy Logic Control of a Maglev System

Joel Gorman, MSME Expected Spring 2003
Tentative Topic: Robotically Automated Composite Repair

Michael Gandy, MEME Expected Spring 2003
Tentative Title: Experimental Performance Analysis of a Maglev Device Under Vibratory Excitation

Co-supervised

Rajkumar Thanu, MSME Expected Spring 2003 (Co-advisor with S. P. Joshi)
Tentative Title: Design and Manufacturing of a Micro-Embossing Machine

Dipanjan Ghosh, MSAE Expected Spring 2003 (Co-advisor with S. P. Joshi)
Tentative Title: Analysis of PMMA Material Characteristics for Micro-Embossing Applications

Aditya Deshmukh, MSME Expected Spring 2003 (Co-advisor with S. P. Joshi)
Tentative Title: Analysis and Hardware Verification of a Micro-positioning System for Laser Machining

Students Supervised and Graduated

Masters Level - Advisor

Kyle Wilkes, Masters of Engineering Summer 2002
Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) with Applications in the Medical Industry

Hong Lee, Masters of Engineering Summer 2002
Analysis and Design of an SMA Clamp

Bryan Simmons, Masters of Engineering Fall 2001
Kalman Filter Based Controller for a Maglev Device – Analysis and Real-Time Implementation

Sunil Belligundu, Masters of Science Summer 2001
Design and Prototyping of a Mechanical Finger for Artificial Hands

Stephen Robert Van Schenck, Masters of Engineering Spring 2001
An Application of Neural Networks to Mobile Robotics – Direction Control, Obstacle Avoidance and Associative Learning

Damrongrit Piyabongkarn, Masters of Science Fall 2000
Digital Control of a Magnetic Levitation System ThrOUGH XpC Real-Time Operating System: Classical, Feedforward, and Artificial Neural Networks

Les Strickland, Masters of Science Spring 2000
Robotic Assembly of Thin-Film Smart Structures

Srinivasan Laxman, Masters of Science Spring 2000
Aerospace Manufacturing in Confined Spaces: Manual and Automation Issues

Kevin L. Conrad, Masters of Science Fall 1999
A Generic In-Process Contact Calibration Methodology for Application to Industrial Robotics

Brad McCreight, Masters of Engineering Fall 1999
A Magnetic Levitation Device an Engineering Experimental Testbed

Naresh Rajanna, Masters of Science Fall 1998
Investigation of VRTX Real-Time Digital PID Controller for a Modular Reconfigurable Robot

Syed Faisal, Masters of Science Fall 1997
A Virtual Prototyping Environment for Robot Design

Committee Member

PhD Level

John Kebrle, Doctor Of Philosophy in Aerospace Engineering, Fall 2001
Kinematic Synthesis of Spatial Linkages using Gradients and Superposition of Scalar Fields
Supervising Professor: Tommy J. Lawley (P. S. Shiakolas active committee member/co-advisor)

Amir Javidinejad, Doctor Of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering, Fall 1999
Mechanical Design of Embeddable Micro Smart Sensing Systems
Supervising Professor: Shiv P. Joshi (P. S. Shiakolas committee member)

Masters Level

Glen Oliver, Masters of Science Spring 1999
Automation of the Surface Finishing of Rotor Craft Blades
Supervising Professor: T. J. Lawley and P. S. Shiakolas

Bharath Krishnaswami, Masters of Science Summer 1996
A Virtual Prototyping Environment for Robot Design Using a Genetic Algorithm
Supervising Professor: K. L. Lawrence and P. S. Shiakolas

Kranthi B. Rao, Masters of Engineering May 1995
Development of User Friendly Path Planning Interface For Planar Robots Using AutoCAD-12 as Front-End
Supervising Professor: K. L. Lawrence and P. S. Shiakolas

Todd W. Sharpe, Masters of Science Dec. 1994
Modular Robot Joints and Quick Connect/Disconnect Design
Supervising Professor: T. J. Lawley and P. S. Shiakolas

Akhil Bhutani, Masters of Engineering August 1994
Static Analysis and Link Optimization of a General N-Link Anthropomorphic Manipulator
Supervising Professor: K. L. Lawrence and P. S. Shiakolas

 

Undergraduate Senior Projects and Students Supervised

Supervised Senior Level Students on their Senior Synthesis Projects

Brian Amond, Derek Cannon, Rahman Yousef
On the Development of a Tripod Walking Robot
MAE Department, Summer 2001, Spring 2001

Amy Smaistrla, Bryan Baron, Brent Scott
Development of an Electromagnetic Levitation Controls Experiment
MAE Department, Summer 1999, Spring 1999

Jason McPeak, Jessica Weir, Gregory Pasienski, William Mann
Three Finger End Effector: (Development of a Force Sensing Three Fingered End Effector for Robotic Applications)
MAE Department Spring 1999, Fall 1998

Randall Saunders, Patrick R. Brown, Stephen Duncan, Nathan C. Leigh
Six Degree of Freedom Robotic Device with Force Feedback
(Hardware Development of an One-Degree of Freedom Pneumatic Force Feedback Joystick for Robotic Teleoperation)
MAE Department, Spring 1999, Fall 1998

Alfredo Valadez, Matthew Schmitz, Jeff Dublin, Radu Jitariu
Robotic Drill End Effector
MAE Department, Summer 1997, Spring 1997

Jack Murphy, Nick Burtea, John Havens
Design of a Quick Connect Disconnect Coupler for Modular Robots
MAE Department, Spring 1997, Fall 1996
 

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Current Researchers

John Kebrle, Ph.D. (Lecturer & Associate)
Areas of interest: Kinematic Synthesis, Analysis, and Simulation, Real-Time Data Collection and Control, Machine Design, Dynamic Systems, Vibration, Process Control, CAD/CAM, Geometry, Dual-Numbers, Quaternions, Genetic Algorithms, Fuzzy Logic, Artificial Intelligence, Embedded Systems, Autonomous Aircraft - Any and all Automation & Robotics.

Ph.D. Dissertation Topic: Planar and spatial equivalent of Burmester curves using gradient and potential methods. Supervising Professor: Dr. Tom Lawley. John Kebrle (pronounced Ke-br-le) completed his Ph.D. while working full-time at Bell Helicopter and teaching classes at UTA. He has worked in the design and testing of medical products for respiratory care, in robotic design and automated surface finishing at the Automation and Robotics Research Institute (ARRI), and is currently at Bell Helicopter. He has been a Lecturer at UTA, having taught classes in CAD, Kinematics and Dynamics of Linkages, and Machine Design. He currently works at Bell, teaches night classes at UTA, is finishing an MS-CSE, and is an assistant in the MARS Lab. He also helps at his father's Stained Glass Studio. His home page is http://mech.uta.edu/~kebrle

Sunil Belligundu
Areas of interest: Robotics and Computer Aided Design and Engineering.

Thesis Topic: Design and Prototyping of a Mechanical Finger for an Artificial Hand. Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas Sunil is a part time Ph.D. Student in Mechanical Engineering. He worked as an Engineer Trainee at Godrej-GE Appliances Ltd., Mumbai for one year. He is currently working as a Graduate Research Assistant in the MARS Lab. His research interests are in the field of Robotics and Computer Aided Design and Engineering. Thesis Abstract

Vinay Chandra
Area of interest: Robotics, Automation, Kinematic synthesis and analysis, Design and Computer Methods

Thesis Topic: Planar mechanisms synthesis and analysis over the world wide web, Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas Vinay is working on his masters in Mechanical Engineering. He worked as an Application & Systems Engineer at Lincoln Helios (India) Ltd., Bangalore for 2.5 years. He is currently working as a Project Assistant on the Electrical Wire and Contact processing robot at the Automation and Robotics Research Institute. This workcell automates wire harness assembly. His research interests in the field of Robotics include Automation, Controls, Design, CAD and computer methods.

Dharmesh Koladiya
Areas of interest: Kinematics, Dynamics and Optimization of Robots

Thesis Topic: Optimization of robotic systems and mechanisms Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas Dharmesh is a masters student in the Mechanical Engineering Department. His research interests include Design, Robotics, Genetic Algorithms, Optimization Techniques and Evolutionary programming.

Rajkumar Thanu
Area of interest: Design, Robotics, Manufacturing, Solid Modeling & Animation.

Thesis Topic: Virtual Modeling & Animation of Robotic Systems Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas Raj is a masters student in the Mechanical Engineering Department. He is working as research assistant in MARS lab and is currently working on a project for the BioMEMS lab on the design of an hot embossing machine. He finished his Bachelor's Degree in Tiruchirappalli.

David Wilhite
Areas of interest: Robotics Design and Control

Thesis Topic: Stewart platform kinematics Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas David is currently working on his Masters thesis in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.  He has previously participated in the co-op program as an undergraduate student.  His co-op assignment was at Peerless Manufacturing Company as an Engineering Assistant doing Computational Fluid Dynamic models of fluid flow.  One of the models was used to publish a conference paper where he won first prize in a student paper contest.

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Past Researchers

Damrongrit "Daniel" Piyabongkarn

Thesis Topic: Digital Control of a Magnetic Levitation System through xPC Real-Time Operating System:Classical, Feedforward and Artificial Neural Networks. Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas Daniel completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in May 2000. He worked with ABB, Bangkok as an Application Engineer for two years. He worked as a Graduate Research Assistant in the MARS Lab. His research interests are in the field of Controls, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Signal Processing. He is currently working on his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota Thesis Abstract

 

Srinivasan Laxman

Thesis Topic: Aerospace Manufacturing in Confined Spaces: Manual and Automation Issues. Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas Srinivasan completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in May 2000. He was working as a Graduate Research Assistant in the MARS Lab. His research interests are in the field of Computer Aided Engineering & Manufacturing Applications.   Thesis Abstract

 

Les Strickland

Thesis Topic: Robotic Assembly of Thin Film Smart Structures. Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas Les completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in May 2000. His research interests are in Application Engineering dealing with automation and pneumatic components. Thesis Abstract

 

Kevin Conrad
Thesis Topic: A Generic In-Process Contact Calibration Methodology for Application to Industrial Robotics.
Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas
Kevin completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in December 2000. His research focussed on calibration and metrology techniques. Experimentation uses 6-DOF force sensor for touch probing applications, a Renishaw touch probe with a Staubli RX130 robot and developed generic probing routines based on CNC machine theory. Applications include In-Process Calibration.
Thesis Abstract

 

Brad McCreight
Project Topic: A Magnetic Levitation Device an Engineering Education Testbed.
Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas
Brad completed his Project in December 2000.
Project Info

 

Glen Oliver

Thesis Topic: Automation of the Surface Finishing of RotorCraft Blades Supervising Professor: Tom J. Lawley and Panayiotis S. Shiakolas. Glen completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in May 1999. He currently works at Lockheed Martin Missile Fire Control. Thesis Abstract

 

Naresh Rajanna
Thesis Topic: Implementation of VRTX Real-Time Digital PID Controller for a Modular Reconfigurable Robot Dec. 1998
Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas
Naresh completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in December 1998.
Thesis Abstract

 

Syed Faisal
Thesis Topic: A Virtual Prototyping Environment for Robot Design
Supervising Professor: Panayiotis S. Shiakolas
Syed completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in December 1998.
Thesis Abstract

 

Bharath Krishnaswami
Thesis Topic: A Virtual Prototyping Environment for Robot Design Using a Genetic Algorithm
Supervising Professor: Kent L. Lawrence and Panayiotis S. Shiakolas
Bharath completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in August 1996

 

Kranthi B. Rao
Thesis Topic: Development of User Friendly Path Planning Interface For Planar Robots Using AutoCAD-12 as Front-End
Supervising Professor: Kent L. Lawrence and Panayiotis S. Shiakolas
Kranthi completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in May 1995

 

Todd W. Sharpe
Thesis Topic: Modular Robot Joints and Quick Connect/Disconnect Design
Supervising Professor: Tommy J. Lawley and Panayiotis S. Shiakolas
Todd completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in December 1994. He is currently working in Austin at Advanced Materials.