Clark School Grad Takes Top Spots in ASME NSF Research Poster Competition

Research by Department of Mechanical Engineering graduate Guanjin Wang (Ph.D. ’20), Associate Professor Amir Riaz (Co-PI), and Chair and Minta Martin Professor Balakumar Balachandran (PI) took top spots at the 2020 American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME) International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE)’s poster competition for National Science Foundation (NSF) funded research.

The team took second place overall out of 166 submitted posters and first place in the category of Top Computational Approach.

The poster, “Mobility Evaluation for Hybrid Robot Motion on Deformable Terrain via Physics-Based and Data-Driven Modeling Approach,” was based on Wang’s Ph.D. work under the guidance of Department Chair and Minta Martin Professor Balakumar Balachandran and Associate Professor Amir Riaz.

The goal of Wang’s research is to address the grand challenge of robot navigation on an unmapped terrain by using high-fidelity simulations and artificial intelligence.

“I am honored to receive these awards which gives me confidence and motivation to continue solving these challenging problems with cutting edge methods in the future. I really appreciated my advisors’ support and guidance over the years, as well as the encouragement to participate in this competition."

Guanjin Wang (Ph.D. '20)

“We developed a fundamental understanding of robot motion interaction with a granular terrain via a physics-based and data-driven modeling approach to guide the design of robots for effective navigation on challenging terrains,” explained Wang.

“I am honored to receive these awards which gives me confidence and motivation to continue solving these challenging problems with cutting edge methods in the future,” said Wang. “I really appreciated my advisors’ support and guidance over the years, as well as the encouragement to participate in this competition.”

ASME IMECE 2020’s poster competition provides the opportunity for students to share their work with peers and experts in the field and to interact with fellow researchers from single-focus, multidisciplinary and/or international backgrounds.

Mobility Evaluation for Hybrid Robot Motion on Deformable Terrain via Physics-Based and Data-Driven Modeling Approach
Authors: Guanjin Wang, Amir Riaz and Balakumar Balachandran

Published January 14, 2021