Peter Abosede MS Student, Aerospace Engineering pabosede@wpi.edu Safety is first and key in Aerospace. My research aim is to develop aerial robots to assist humans to effectively carry out maintenance and manufacture of large commercial, military and space-based assets.
James Akl PhD Student, Robotics Engineering jgakl@wpi.edu My research develops a collaborative robotic platform for metal scrap cutting that leverages worker expertise and increases their efficiency and safety.
Fadi Alladkani PhD Student, Robotics Engineering fmalladkani@wpi.edu My research aims to improve sorting and separation of mixed-waste in the recycling industry using a human-robot collaboration architecture.
Trevor Bond PhD Student, Mechanical Engineering tbond@wpi.edu My research aims to improve mechanical properties of cold spray additive manufacturing through robotic control of spray parameters.
Josiah Boucher PhD Student, Interactive Media and Game Development jdboucher@wpi.edu My research aims to create practical applications for game design practices in real-world spaces like offices and smart cities while acknowledging the shortcomings of existing gamification practices.
Galen Brown PhD Student, Computer Science gibrown@wpi.edu My research focuses on using real time visual information to improve robot grasping.
Yihao Cai MS Student, Robotics Engineering ycai5@wpi.edu My research interest is the interdisciplinary area which include both high-level and low-level design in robotic related fields with combination of computer science. My current research focuses on Human Robot Interaction where I’m working on designing useful interfaces for assisting tele-nursing robots and also its application to practical physical platform.
Shou-Shan Chiang PhD Student, Robotics Engineering schiang@wpi.edu My research aims to model and control soft continuum robotic manipulators and improve the user experience of human-robot interaction.
Darren Cole PhD Student, Computational Media dacole@wpi.edu As a moving image sound artist, my research explores emerging technology at the intersection of media literacy, ethics, social justice, and community
Gabrielle Conard MS Student, Robotics Engineering ggconard@wpi.edu My research focuses on the development of biologically-inspired terrestrial robots that can work alongside humans in applications such as space exploration or search and rescue. I am also interested in wearable assistive technology for people with disabilities, such as hearing loss.
Michael Da Silva MS Student, Robotics Engineering mgdasilva@wpi.edu My research interests lie at the intersection of biomimicry/biomimetics, soft robotics, and smart materials. The raison d'etre would be to learn principles from birds, animals, and nature and incorporate them into extraterrestrial robotics.
Albert Enyedy PhD Student, Robotics Engineering ajenyedy@wpi.edu My research aims to improve the arm motion control speed of WPI’s Atlas robot by using visual feedback to move towards real-time operation, presenting the opportunity for applications such as showing a humanoid robot how to complete a task via mirroring a human participant’s motions.
Prescious Etinosa PhD Student, Materials Science and Engineering poetinosa@wpi.edu My research focuses on robotically assisted tissue engineering and regeneration of biological structures: 3D-robotic positioning/printing of multilayer scaffolds for hard and soft tissue regeneration including dentine, enamel and dentine-enamel junction.
Robin Hall PhD Student, Robotics Engineering rfhall@wpi.edu My research aims at creating bio-inspired soft robots capable of aiding in environmental monitoring and climate research.
Alicia Howell-Munson (they/them) PhD Student, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology anhowellmunson@wpi.edu My research aims to create adaptive digital environments that integrates a user's brain signal to improve how robots work in tandem with human partners. I also am interested in how brain signals can be used to improve education environments for STEM and language acquisition.
Steven Hyland PhD Student, Robotics Engineering smhyland@wpi.edu My research focuses on collective manipulation of large objects through a robot swarm, led by a human leader. The applications for this research are assistive environments, manufacturing settings, and extraterrestrial exploration.
Achyuthan Unni Krishnan PhD Student, Robotics Engineering aunnikrishnan@wpi.edu My research aims to develop robot autonomy to reduce the physical and cognitive workload in nursing robot teleoperation (personal website).
Tsung-Chi (TC) Lin PhD Student, Robotics Engineering tlin2@wpi.edu My research aims to develop intuitive, efficient and ergonomic teleoperation interface for mobile humanoid nursing robots (personal webpage).
Shruti Mahajan PhD Student. Computer Science spmahajan@wpi.edu My research interests lie in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), focusing on designing interactive and playful environments using touch-sensitive fabrics and augmented reality to promote parent-child co-located communication in the home context. (personal website)
Sean McGovern PhD Student, Robotics Engineering smmcgovern@wpi.edu My research is directed towards improving industrial surface spray coverage planning through systematic kinematic constraint analysis, optimization criteria, and user defined preferences.
Tess Meier PhD Student, Robotics Engineering tbmeier@wpi.edu My research interests include assistive and rehabilitative robotics, as well as human movement students and neuroscience. I am currently working on studying brain activation during hand exoskeleton use and exploring the effects of different user control mechanisms on neurorehabilitation.
Christopher Micek PhD Student, Computer Science cjmicek@wpi.edu My main work explores how implementing a democratic, peer-based "digital jury" moderation system for social media platforms would impact polarization online, compared to traditional, "top-down" moderation that is conducted by employees of the platforms themselves. (personal website )
Milica Miladinovic PhD Student, Mechanical Engineering mmiladinovic@wpi.edu My research is focused on creating SnS2 dispersions and inks, which can be used to create sensors by drop-casting and inkjet printing on both firm and flexible surfaces. In addition, I am working on multilayer printing, which can be used to fabricate crossovers and vias. I am specifically interested in creating SnS2 sensors to improve the human-robot interfacing.
Dan Moyer PhD Student, Robotics Engineering dmoyer@wpi.edu My research aims to develop adaptive controllers that leverage real-world data for online improvement of dynamic models for soft robotic systems during policy learning to reduce the gap between simulation and real-world performance.
Dan Moyer MS Student, Mechanical Engineering dmoyer1@wpi.edu My research interests are focused on wearable technology that can be integrated into a soldier's personal kit to control robots, monitor biological signs, or otherwise improve training.
Arnold Muralt MS Student, Robotics Engineering awmuralt@wpi.edu I am working on three projects in tandem, a large pneumatic continuum arm making use of fabric balloons and flexible wavespring structures, a reprogrammable soft actuator based around a silicone core with a semi-rigid exoskeleton, and a set of adaptive grippers making use of the Fin ray effect.
Nicholas Pacheco PhD Student, Robotics Engineering nepacheco@wpi.edu My research is focused on developing a robotic system with a steerable laser fiber that can automate laser-tissue interactions for use in in-office laser surgery.
Nicholas Pratt PhD Student, Mechanical Engineering nrpratt@wpi.edu My research is focused on improving the resolution and reliability of inkjet printing conductive traces to expand the types of devices inkjet printing can be used to manufacture, such as sensors for human interfacing.
Raagini Rameshwar PhD Student, Robotics Engineering rrameshwar@wpi.edu My research is focuses on robot arm teleoperation as a demonstration tool in a Learning from Demonstration context, as well as the use of soft robotic technology to provide haptic feedback during teleoperation.
Karen Royer PhD Student, Computational Media kmroyer@wpi.edu I research the expert craft practices of underrepresented groups through their reflections to understand how they contribute to the design and implementation of new technologies in ways that produce inclusion rather than exclusion.
Antonio Sanchez MS Student, Robotics Engineering agsanchez@wpi.edu I will be working with Dr. Onal in the Soft Robotics Lab. My research interests involve artificial intelligence and humanoid robots. I’m starting off in soft robotics because I believe it is important for humanoid robots to be able to properly interact with humans without harming them.
Gaayathri Sankar PhD Student, Business School, Innovation with User Experience gsankar@wpi.edu My research is focuses on persona development using Type 2 diabietic patient Electronic Health Record (EHR) data to customize technology design based on risk factors related to health as well as demographics.
Cameron Schloer PhD Student, Robotics Engineering cschloer@wpi.edu My current research lies in the intersection of Human-Robot Interactions and Swarm Robotics and involves effectively enabling multiple humans to work together well with multiple robots in clinical environments.
Zhuoyun Zhong PhD Student Robotics Engineering zzhong3@wpi.edu My research focuses on the development of assisted navigation interfaces for high-mobility nursing robots.
FORW-RD NRT Program Graduates
Kenechukwu Churchill Mbanisi Graduated May 2022, PhD in Robotics Engineering Currently - Assistant Professor of Robotics, Olin College of Engineering My research develops biomechanical modeling of a human driver and analyzes the human factors and interaction dynamics of vehicle maneuver (personal website).
Arvand Navabi Graduated in May 2022, PhD in Materials Science and Engineering amnavabi@wpi.edu My research in robot assisted cold spray deposition in additive manufacturing of materials is optimized based on creation of high performance materials, my job is to transfer insight about contact and adhesion of material in the deposition process.
Alp Sahin Graduated in May 2021, MS in Robotics Engineering Currently - PhD Student in Mechanical Engineering at Lehigh University Research Area - Robot Motion Planning
Vanessa Uzonwanne Graduate in May 2022, PhD in Materials Science and Engineering Currently - post-doctoral Research Scientist at WPI vouzonwanne@wpi.edu My research focuses on the detection and treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) cells by quantifying mechanical biomarkers (adhesion force and viscoelastic properties) and integrating robotics-assisted laser-nanoparticle interaction for localized hyperthermia treatment.