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Group members


Leader(s)

Dr Qingping Yang Dr Qingping Yang Dr QingPing Yang is currently the Group Director for Brunel Quality Engineering and Smart Technology (QUEST) Research Group and Robotics and Automation Research Group. Dr Yang joined the Brunel Centre for Manufacturing Metrology (BCMM) in 1988 with a visiting scholarship awarded by the AVIC, after his graduation in Instrumentation and Measurement Technology from Chengdu Aeronautical Polytechnic in 1983 and subsequent 4 years’ research experiences at an Aircraft Structure Research Institute (AVIC, Xi’an) and admission to an MSc Programme in Robot Control and Intelligent Control at Northwestern Polytechnical University. In 1989, he was awarded an ORS Award and a PhD Studentship from British Technology Group to develop a patented smart 3D high precision probe system for CMMs, and he received his PhD degree in October 1992. Since then he has been working as a Research Fellow, Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader (Associate Professor) at Brunel University London. He has actively participated in 18 (16 as Principal Investigator) research projects funded by the UK government, EU and industrial companies, with a total funding of about £2.7 million as Principal Investigator and £1.2 million as Co-Investigator. Through more than 30 years dedicated research, he has developed a unique and coherent research field broadly integrating three research areas of sensor/measurement systems, quality engineering and smart technologies (including AI and robotics) with rigorous theoretical foundation, addressing the core science and technology underpinning these areas. He has published more than 120 journal/conference papers, 5 book chapters and 3 patents (one patent successfully assigned for commercial exploitation in 2004) in these areas. He has supervised (as the 1st supervisor) 23 PhD and 4 MPhil students with successful completion as well as 11 visiting academic staff / PhD students, and he is currently supervising 6 PhD students. Dr Yang has received numerous prizes and awards for outstanding academic and work performance in the past (including three performance bonuses in Brunel University). He has been a member of IEEE and IET. He was profiled in the 15th edition of Marquis Who’s Who in the World (1998) and the 5th edition of Marquis Who’s Who in Science and Engineering (2000). Dr Yang has been developing a unique and coherent research field broadly integrating the following three research areas for more than 30 years: Sensor / measurement systems: Advanced sensors and robot sensing (including tactile, force, optical proximity and stereo vision); 3D dimensional metrology (including CMMs, virtual CMMs, AFMs); 3D freeform surface measurement (including fringe projection); Intelligent instrumentation; Advanced data analytics; Measurement science. Quality engineering: Quality engineering (including robust design, TRIZ and intelligent process control); Lean six sigma; Condition monitoring and structural integrity; Safety and risk management; Environment monitoring. Uncertainty quantification; Integrated quality tools and information systems; Quality science. Smart technologies and applications: Robotics and autonomous systems (including Cognitive robots; Collaborative robots; Robots for measurements, inspection and maintenance; Medical robots; Mobile robots); Human-Robot Interaction; VR/AR/MR; IoT; Data science; Machine learning and artificial intelligence; Generalised information theory; Knowledge based systems; Ontology engineering; Semantic web; Cognition and neuroscience; Smart technology applications (e.g. Smart manufacturing; Smart buildings; Smart maintenance; Smart healthcare; Industry 4.0). Dr Yang has taught a number of subjects at both PG/UG levels and his teaching is closely related to his research: PG level (Level 7): Robotics and Manufacturing Automation; Manufacturing Measurement; Optical and Optoelectronic Engineering; Project Management; Computation for Information Processing and Computer-Aided Data Analysis. UG levels (Level 4-6): Computer Integrated Manufacturing (level 6); Quality Engineering and Metrology (level 6); Business for Engineers (level 6); Mechatronics (level 5); Microprocessors (level 5); Electrical Engineering Principles (level 5); Instruments and Applications (level 5); Measurement and Instrumentation (level 5); Introduction to Internet Computing (level 4); Internet Scripting and Computer Architecture (level 4); Project Management (levels 4-5). He is currently teaching: AI Applications in Engineering (Level 6) Quality Management and Reliability (Level 7) Advanced Measurement Systems and Data Analysis (Level 7)

Members

Dr Xinli Du Dr Xinli Du
Email Dr Xinli Du Reader - Robotics & Autonomous Systems
Dr Xinli Du joined Brunel Institute for Bioengineering as a Research Lecturer in August 2010. Xinli’s PhD degree was awarded by Loughborough University (U.K.) Control Systems Research Group in 2008. He then joined Aston University working as a Research Associate. His research has focused on smart surgical tools and multiple sensing technology. Some successful projects include a surgical robotic micro-drill and a smart tackle sensing surface. Robotic Surgery Biomedical Engineering
Dr Yohan Noh Dr Yohan Noh
Email Dr Yohan Noh Lecturer in Manufacturing Engineering
He received his first B.Sc. degreefrom the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University of Scienceand Technology, Korea (2002) and his second B.Sc. degree from the Department ofElectrical Engineering from Yonsei University, Korea (2004). He did his M.Sc. and Ph.D. atthe Department of Science and Engineering (robotics), Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan in2007 and 2011, respectively. After this, he worked as a research associate in Roboticswithin the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, King's College London.During his PhD and Postdoctoral studies in the UK and Japan, he studied and proposed agreat number of the robotic systems for use in medicine and healthcare in Japan, Korea,and the UK. His work has resulted in more than seventy peer-reviewed papers includingsixteen journal papers and more than seventy papers in top journals and conferences ofrobotics. He has eleven published patents so far.He has been fortunate to have the opportunity of involvement in commercialisationprocess of a number of joint projects between academia and industry. Being ambitious tolay out a research direction which considers commercialisation of the developed system inthe beginning of a project, led to successful commercialisation of the projects and therespective products are now being sold in international market.He has facilitated many collaborative activities between robotics groups in the UK, EU, andJapan through domestic and international joint projects (EU-project STIFF-FLOP, Grant No.287728), (Wellcome Trust IEH project iFIND, Grant No.102431), and (Robotics AdvancedMedical Cluster, Japan), and have been an active member of the robotics community (IEEERAS, EMBS, ASME, RSJ, JSCAS), and helped in the organisation of RSJ, ROMANSY, ICCAS,ROBIO, ICRA, and EMBC conferences since 2008. 1) Design and fabrication for STIFF-FLOP arm (soft manipulators) (Since 2013) and Multi-axial Force/Torque sensors, bending sensors, and palpation instrument (since May 2013) 2) Robot arms, master/slave system, and image compensation algorithm for ultrasound scanning (since June 2014) 3) Medical training robots for airway management and neurologic examination (Since 2006) 4) A new miniaturised Force/Torque and tactile sensing arrays based on optoelectronic technology for medical devices and haptic globes 5) development of a new flexible manipulator integrating contact force sensors and shape sensors for MIS (minimally invasive surgery) (since 2016) 6) Development of a non-contact device for detecting small animal breathing in dedicated whole-body imaging instruments based on fibre optic technology (since 2017) 7) Prototyping a low-cost robot-assisted ultrasound diagnostic robot system (since 2018) 8) Developing a low-cost tactile sensing array for soft prosthetic hands using the light intensity modulation sensing approach (since 2018) His research interests include development of force and tactile sensors, haptics, robot assisted ultrasound diagnostic system, medical training system, medical robots, robot platform software development.
Dr Yohan Noh Dr Yohan Noh
Email Dr Yohan Noh Lecturer in Manufacturing Engineering
He received his first B.Sc. degreefrom the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University of Scienceand Technology, Korea (2002) and his second B.Sc. degree from the Department ofElectrical Engineering from Yonsei University, Korea (2004). He did his M.Sc. and Ph.D. atthe Department of Science and Engineering (robotics), Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan in2007 and 2011, respectively. After this, he worked as a research associate in Roboticswithin the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, King's College London.During his PhD and Postdoctoral studies in the UK and Japan, he studied and proposed agreat number of the robotic systems for use in medicine and healthcare in Japan, Korea,and the UK. His work has resulted in more than seventy peer-reviewed papers includingsixteen journal papers and more than seventy papers in top journals and conferences ofrobotics. He has eleven published patents so far.He has been fortunate to have the opportunity of involvement in commercialisationprocess of a number of joint projects between academia and industry. Being ambitious tolay out a research direction which considers commercialisation of the developed system inthe beginning of a project, led to successful commercialisation of the projects and therespective products are now being sold in international market.He has facilitated many collaborative activities between robotics groups in the UK, EU, andJapan through domestic and international joint projects (EU-project STIFF-FLOP, Grant No.287728), (Wellcome Trust IEH project iFIND, Grant No.102431), and (Robotics AdvancedMedical Cluster, Japan), and have been an active member of the robotics community (IEEERAS, EMBS, ASME, RSJ, JSCAS), and helped in the organisation of RSJ, ROMANSY, ICCAS,ROBIO, ICRA, and EMBC conferences since 2008. 1) Design and fabrication for STIFF-FLOP arm (soft manipulators) (Since 2013) and Multi-axial Force/Torque sensors, bending sensors, and palpation instrument (since May 2013) 2) Robot arms, master/slave system, and image compensation algorithm for ultrasound scanning (since June 2014) 3) Medical training robots for airway management and neurologic examination (Since 2006) 4) A new miniaturised Force/Torque and tactile sensing arrays based on optoelectronic technology for medical devices and haptic globes 5) development of a new flexible manipulator integrating contact force sensors and shape sensors for MIS (minimally invasive surgery) (since 2016) 6) Development of a non-contact device for detecting small animal breathing in dedicated whole-body imaging instruments based on fibre optic technology (since 2017) 7) Prototyping a low-cost robot-assisted ultrasound diagnostic robot system (since 2018) 8) Developing a low-cost tactile sensing array for soft prosthetic hands using the light intensity modulation sensing approach (since 2018) His research interests include development of force and tactile sensors, haptics, robot assisted ultrasound diagnostic system, medical training system, medical robots, robot platform software development.
Dr Mingfeng Wang Dr Mingfeng Wang
Email Dr Mingfeng Wang Senior Lecturer in Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Academic Career Senior Lectuer (Associate Professor), Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Brunel University London, 2024 - present. Lecturer (Assistant Professor), Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Brunel University London, 2021 - 2024. Research Fellow, Rolls-Royce UTC in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology, Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, 2017-2021. Senior Research Associate, National Centre for Precision Farming, Harper Adams University, 2016-2017. Academic and Professional Qualifications FHEA, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK, 2023. CEng, Chartered Engineer, Engineering Council UK, 2022. P.hD., University of Cassino and South Lazio, Italy, 2016. M.Sc. (Distinction), Central South University, China, 2012. B.Eng. (Hons), Central South University, China, 2008. Research Expertise and Interests Continuum robotic systems for in-situ maintenance (inspection and repair) in confined environments(e.g. aeroengine and nuclear). Legged robotic systems with parallel mechanisms (e.g. humanoid and hexapod robots). Soft robotic systems with embedded sensing (e.g. soft fruit havesting robot). Precision farming robotic systems (e.g. laser weeding robot). Miniaturised robotic systems (e.g. capsule robot) Research Grants Co-I, “Integration and testing of a cochlear implant insertion robot", RNID-PhD studentships, £85,89, 04/2024-03/2027. PI: "Field-trial of novel compliant end-effectors for train fluid servicing", Impact Acceleration Account- Brunel University (EP/X525510/1), £25,427.9, 06/2022-06/2024. PI: “Machine learning based overall performance optimisation for railway fluids service robots", Brunel Research Initiative & Enterprise Fund (BRIEF), £14,835, 06/2022-12/2023. PI, "Optimal design of a walking machine for in-situ maintenance and repair in hazardous environments", Impact Acceleration Account - Brunel University (EPSRC EP/R511493/1), £25,000, 03/2022-03/2023. PI: "Self-coordinated Locomotion and Manipulation of the RAIN-Hex", Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear (EPSRC EP/R026084/1), £36,834.11, 11/2021-03/2022. Co-I, "Coordinated whole-body control and overall performance optimisation for a mobile snake-like robotic arm", International Exchanges 2020 Cost Share (NSFC) (IEC/NSFC/201279), £12,000, 03/2021-03/2022. Co-I, "In-situ sampling for inspection of pressurised water reactor using RAIN-Hex robot", Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear (EPSRC EP/R026084/1), £25,000, 06/2020-12/2020. Co-I, "Self-calibration system to enhance machining capability of the RAIN-Hex", Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear (EPSRC EP/R026084/1), £25,000, 06/2019-02/2020. PI, "Comprehensive modelling of slender continuum robots using twin-pivot compliant joints", Through-life performance: From science to instrumentation (EPSRC EP/P027121/1), £83,000, 06/2019-05/2019. Award BRIEF award, Brunel Research Initiative and Enterprise Fund, 2022 Best paper post nomination, Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems Conference (TAROS), 2022 Best paper of Year 2021, Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties, 2022 Best paper award, IFToMM Asian Mechanisms and Machine Science Conference (Asian-MMS), 2014. IFToMM Young Delegates Programm, 2014, 2015. Excellent Student Scholarship in Lazio, Italy, 2013/14, 2014/15. Innovative design, modelling and control of specialised robotic systems: - Robots for inspection and maintenance: Continuum robots, composed of multiple small-diameter bendable sections, are promising to be applied to access and operate in confined spaces for which a wide range of practical applications have been presented (e.g. minimally invasive surgery, nuclear facility decommissioning, aircraft maintenance). His expertise is mainly focused on the ones with an extra slender structure (i.e. diameter-to-length ratio < 0.02 with at least meter-like length), which is unique as it’s challenging not only in the design stage but also the modelling and control in a precise way. Starting from the fundamental study, the physical prototype of an extra slender continuum robot has been developed and demonstrated with high TRL (>5) in the real scenario, which provides a promising solution for inspection and maintenance operation in-situ. - Mobile Robots: Legged robots, consisting of two or multiple legs, are the most promising among ground robots for locomotion flexibility as compared with the wheeled and tracked counterparts. His expertise is mainly focused on the biped and hexapod robots with peculiar designs based on parallel mechanisms, which are fundamentally different from the existing serial mechanism based ones. Thanks to the unique advantages of parallel mechanisms, the elaborated biped robot is capable of walking stably with a payload of approx. 3 times its weight, while the hexapod one can perform advanced walking and machining operations in extreme environments (e.g. nuclear facility). ​ - Miniaturised Robots: Capsule robots, composed of a locomotion module and several functional modules (e.g. vision, wireless communication, drug), are promising to be revolutionary early diagnosis and treatment devices for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. His expertise is primarily focused on the active locomotion and drug delivery modules, which not only allow capsule robots self-propelling and docking at the interest area for diagnosing, but also have other functions such as biopsy and drug release.​​​ Dr Wang is engaged in teaching and project supervision at the undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) levels with the following modules: UG Modules: ME3624 - Introduction to Robotics and AI Applications in Engineering (module contributor, 50% of full module) ME3620 - BEng Major Individual Project (supervision) ME3623 - Group Design Project (supervision) PG Modules: MN5674/5694 - Robotics and Automation (module leader) ME5500 - MSc Dissertation Project (supervision) ME5308/EE5098 - MEng Group Project (supervision)

Associate members

Dr Md Nazmul Huda Dr Md Nazmul Huda
Email Dr Md Nazmul Huda Associate Dean (Student Experience)/Senior Lecturer in Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Dr M Nazmul Huda received his BSc (Hons) degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh in 2008, his MSc by Research degree in Computing Science from Staffordshire University, UK in 2011 and his Ph.D. degree in Robotics and Control from Bournemouth University, UK in 2016. At present, he is a Senior Lecturer in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Brunel University London and supervising several PhD students in robotics, artificial intelligence and renewable energy. Before joining at Brunel University London, he has held several academic/research positions at Coventry University, Cranfield University, Bournemouth University, Staffordshire University and Bangladesh. He has more than ten years of experience in performing research and leading research projects in robotics, control and machine learning funded by various funding bodies including EPSRC and Innovate UK. He has filed a patent and published papers on flagship journals and conferences. He is a member of IET, IEEE, IEEE RAS and EPSRC associate peer review college. He has been nominated as a regular reviewer for EPSRC grants applications. He has been collaborating with internal and external academic and industrial partners and actively developing research proposals as a PI and Co-PI for internal and external funding calls including Horizon 2020, Wellcome Trust and High-Volume Transport. He also serves as a reviewer for many flagship journals and conferences in robotics, control and artificial intelligence including IEEE ICRA, IEEE IROS, IEEE SSRR, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L) etc. Robotics, Control systems, Mobile robot, Capsule robot, Capsule endoscopy, Artificial intelligence, Deep learning, Sensor fusion, Robotic (Self-driving) cars, Search and rescue robot, Pipe inspection robot. Dr M Nazmul Huda has more than five years of teaching experience in the UK (Brunel University London, Coventry University, Bournemouth University and Staffordshire University) and in Bangladesh.
Professor Diane Mynors Professor Diane Mynors Professor Diane J Mynors is Head of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Brunel University London. Over more than a decade, Diane has held leadership positions within the higher education sector. In each case, the underlying and achieved objective has been to enhance the standing of the unit for which she is responsible, achieved by working strategically and efficiently with the team in a way that benefits all stakeholders. The ability to lead complex multidisciplinary groups is enhanced by a background in physics and manufacturing engineering, both of which are multifaceted disciplines, practitioners of which naturally collaborate with those from many other fields. Knowledge of the manufacturing world further heightens the ability to strategize and implement through an understanding of demand, supply, customers, and the importance of tacit knowledge and planning. Diane has degrees from both physics and engineering departments. Her doctoral thesis looked at volume ion sources and was supported by Culham Laboratory, UKAEA through an EPSRC CASE award. Following her DPhil, Diane moved to the Department of Mechanical engineering at the University of Bath, as a Research Officer to work on the simulation of metalforming processes. She took up a lectureship within the Department of Manufacturing and Engineering Systems at Brunel University. Her first leadership position followed when appointed Head of the Department of Engineering at the University of Wolverhampton. Having successfully led and enhanced the Department Diane moved to the University of Sussex as Head of the School of Engineering and Informatics, which also encompassed Product Design and Digital Media. Having successfully grown the School and led significant capital investment projects Diane returned to Brunel to lead the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Diane is a Chartered Physicist and Fellow of the Institute of Physics She has also received personal awards from: The Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Thomas Stephen Prize The Japan Society for Technology of Plasticity The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey
Dr Dong Zhang Dr Dong Zhang
Email Dr Dong Zhang Lecturer in Automotive Design
Dr. Dong Zhang is a permanent Lecturer (After Probation) in Automotive Design in the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He leads the research on intelligent vehicle & transportation control systems, intelligent tyre system and founds the Brunel Racing Formula Student AI group. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in vehicle dynamic control from University of Lincoln in October 2019. His PhD thesis was titled with ''A systematic approach to cooperative driving systems based on optimal control allocation''. After this, he worked as a research fellow in Centre for System Intelligence and Efficiency; and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore from 2019 to 2020. During this period, his research was focusing to provide novel solutions to address the security challenges raised by intelligent and connected vehicles; and to develop a novel, integrated vehicle chassis control system for intelligent and automated electric vehicles (iAEVs). Before joining Brunel University London in 2021, he worked as a senior research project manager in scientific collaborative projects with car industry for developing the next-generation vehicle chassis control system. He was the Co-PI for the research projects on developing full-wheel independent driving system, online vehicle performance evaluation system for intelligent vehicles under big-date governance, and etc.. Dr. Zhang is welcoming and putting a special emphasis on the collaboration with car companies for developing human-centered automotive control systems and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Dr. Zhang's research interests strongly reside in the area of human-centered automotive control systems, intelligent vehicle/transportation control, game theory based driver-vehicle shared control systems, vehicle dynamic and safety control, adaptive vehicle motion control, and A.I based autonomous vehicle control. His research has resulted in more than thirty peer-reviewed papers in top journals and conferences, and about ten patents for invention. Dr. Zhang has experience in supervising PhD students to completion. Please feel free to contact if you are seeking PhD opportunities in vehicle dynamic/safety control, intelligent vehicle /transportation control systems, A.I based autonomous vehicle control and driver-vehicle interaction. Dr. Zhang's research interests are broadly in the area of vehicle dynamic & control, intelligent vehicle & transportation control and driver-vehicle interaction, and include the following topics: A.I based vehicle autonomous control Human-centered automotive system design Vehicle active safety & collision avoidance control Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) development Driver-vehicle & human-automation shared control for semi-autonomous car Anti-cyber-attack control for intelligent vehicles ME2618 Vehicle Design and Performance ME3628 Technologies for Future Transport

Doctoral Researchers