I - MING CHEN

PROFESSOR
School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639798
Tel: 65-6790-6203
Fax: 65-6791-1859 (international)
65-6792-4062 (local)
Office: N3.2-02-23 (North Spine)
Email: michen [at] ntu.edu.sg

NEWS

BIOGRAPHY

EDUCATION

TEACHING

RESEARCH

PEOPLE

PUBLICATIONS

LINKS

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

· My new book on spherical motors has published in July 2011:

Design, Modeling and Experiments of 3-DOF Electromagnetic Spherical Actuators (Springer Verlag)

· IFToMM International Symposium on Robotics and Mechatronics (ISRM 2013) was held in NTU, Singapore, 2 – 4 October 2013

· IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation 2017 (ICRA 2017) will be held in Singapore, May 2017

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Chen, Fellow of IEEE (Class of 2012) and Fellow of ASME, has been with the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore since 1995. He is currently Director of Robotics Research Centre, and Director of Intelligent Systems Center in NTU, a joint collaboration with Singapore Technology Engineering Ltd. He was JSPS Visiting Scholar in Kyoto University in 1999 and Tokyo University in 2009, Visiting Scholar in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of MIT in 2004, and Fellow of Singapore-MIT Alliance under Innovation in Manufacturing Systems and Technology (IMST) Program (2002-2007). He was also Adjunct Professor of Xian Jiao Tong University, China (2002-2007). His research interests are in wearable sensors, human-robot interaction, reconfigurable automation, parallel kinematics machines (PKM), biomorphic underwater robots, and smart material based actuators. Dr. Chen has published more than 300 technical articles in refereed international journals and conferences and book chapters. He is now serving on the editorial board of Mechanism and Machine Theory, Robotica (Cambridge Univ Press), and Frontiers of Mechanical Engineering (Springer-Verlag). He was Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Robotics from 2006 to 2011 and Technical Editor of IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics from 2003 to 2009. He was General Chair of IEEE International Conference on Cybernetics, Intelligent Systems and Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics (CIS-RAM) 2006, Bangkok, Thailand, General Chair of 2009 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM’09) in Singapore 14-17 July 2009, and General Chairman of IFToMM ISRM 2013 in Singapore, Oct 2-4, 2013. He is now Chairman of IFToMM Technical Committee on Robotics and Mechatronics, and member of RoboCup Singapore National Committee. He had been Chairman of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, Singapore Chapter from 2003-2005, Chairman of Prototyping for Robotics and Automation Technical Committee under IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (2003-2007), Council member of Singapore Industrial Automation Association (2001-2003), and Chairman of Singapore Committee for the Technologies of Machines and Mechanisms (SicToMM - country member of IFToMM) from 2001 to 2003. He will be the General Chairman of IEEE ICRA 2017 in Singapore (May 29 – June 2, 2017).

EDUCATION

· Ph.D 1994, Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA

· M.Sc 1989, Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA

· B.Sc 1986, Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

TEACHING

· MP2002 Kinematics and Dynamics of Machinery

· MP3011 Machine Design

· MA7321 Advanced Kinematics

· M6236 Manufacturing Automation and Control

UNDERGRADUATE ROBOTICS PROJECT

· NTU RoboCup Team – Team Nanyang: RoboCup Standard Platform League (NAO robots)

o 2010 RoboCup World Championship, Singapore

o 2011 RoboCup World Championship, Istanbul, Turkey

RESEARCH

· Research work prior to 2005 can be found here – Modular Robotics and Robot Locomotion

· Blog for research work after 2005 can be found here - Interactiverobotics

· Current research

o Human-X Interaction

o Precision Mechatronics

o Novel Robotics Systems Design

Human-X Interaction

The advancement of robotic technology (RT) and information technology (IT) has brought robots and mechatronics systems into our daily living at an unprecedented speed, such as vacuum cleaner robots, healthcare robots, exoskeleton for the disabled and wearable sensors for health monitoring. The study of interactions between the human and the new RT and IT devices is critical as this has become part of the system design and improvement process. The research in Human-robot interaction is focused on: 1) the design methodology of hardware and software platforms for enhanced communication and learning experience, and 2) the design and application of wearable motion sensors for human gesture detection and control of medical devices. The research in Human-human interaction refers to the learning and transfer of human skills through wearable sensors and haptic devices with multi-modal feedback via Internet among different users, for example, surgical training for students, job related operating skills, and casual exercise like Yoga and Taichi. The research in Human-environment interaction refers to simultaneous capture of human motion and contact dynamics for high fidelity human motion monitoring. Human motion and interaction with the environment are always intertwined. Thus, kinematics and contact attributes are of equal importance for human activity studies. Currently there is no technology available for smooth capture of both attributes at the same time. Future research emphasis will be moving toward full investigation in human-environment interaction issue. This issue is also very critical in designing human-friendly robots.

Applications: Rehabilitation engineering, Motion learning and training for high performance sports, Human skill transfer for industrial processes, Social-assistive robotics

Keywords: Human motion capture, Human motion replication, Haptic feedback and guidance, Personal navigation, Wearable motion sensors, SmartSuit, SmartGlove, Multi-modal interaction.

Funded Research Projects:

· Smart Suit – A Wearable Embedded Body Motion Processing System (ASTAR Embedded Hybrid Systems Program Phase II) - completed

· Replicating and Processing of Human Body Motion for Participatory Interaction in Co-Space (NRF MDA Interactive Digital Media) - completed

· Cognitive Stroke Movement Therapy Systems through Integration of Wearable Haptic Interfaces (ASTAR-NKTH Singapore-Hungary) - completed

· Remote Monitoring of Rehabilitation in Patients (IDA Cloud Computing) - completed

· The Use Of Interactive Virtual Reality Exposure In The Treatment Of Selective Mutism (NHG-NTU Seed) - completed

· Robot Assisted Social Skills Therapy In Autism Spectrum Disorders (NHG-NTU Seed) - completed

· Animatronic Robotic Avatar for 3D Telepresence (NRF IDM IRC, BeingThereCenter, IMI) – on-going

· Reimagine Show and Tell through Robotic Puppetry (Singapore Millennium Foundation) – on-going

PhD Research Projects:

· Contact-sensing based human motion localization and Interaction (Qilong Yuan, 2009 – 2014)

· Adaptive Interfaces for Stroke Rehabilitation (Wei Sin Ang, NTU-CMU 2011 - )

· Learning Controls and Coordination for Humanoid Robots (Junyun Tay, NTU-CMU 2011 -)

· Human skill transfer in Robotic Tele-presence Systems (Bingbing Li, 2012 - )

· Tacit Knowledge Capture of Manual Processes for Mechanized Production (Charles Ng, EDB-IPP, Rolls-Royce, 2012 -)

Collaborators:

· Dr. Kong Keng He, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore

· Dr. Chan Kay Fei, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore

· Dr. Daniel Fung, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore

· Dr. Sung Min, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore

· Prof. Tsai-Yen Li, National Cheng Chi University, Taiwan

· Prof. Gabor Stepan, Budapest University of Technology and Economy (BME), Hungary

· Dr. Gabor Fazekas, National Institute of Medical Rehabilitation (NIMR), Hungary

· Prof. Henry Fuchs, North Carolina University, USA

· Prof. Marcus Gross, ETH, Switzerland

· Rolls-Royce Singapore

Precision Mechatronics

Precision sensors and actuators are the key technology for advanced manufacturing systems as well as robotics. Over the years, the group has collaborated with industrial partners in developing new precision actuators based on electromagnetic and piezoelectric principles for nano-manufacturing, medical and military applications due to their capability to provide large displacement with infinite positioning resolutions, apply multi-axis forces and torques, possess high bandwidth, and achieve reliability and versatility in applications. As these actuators play crucial roles as the key components in renewable energy power generators as well as the driving elements of environmentally friendly electrical vehicles. In future research, new and groundbreaking modeling of electromagnetic components, integrated design of electromagnetic components with ultra high precision mechanisms, and precision control of the devices and their applications related to energy will be pursued.

Applications: Nano manufacturing processes, Free-form surface measurement, Medical devices, Electric vehicles

Keywords: Electromagnetic actuators, Multi-DOF actuators, Smart material based actuators, Wavefront sensing, Flexure mechanisms and modeling.

Funded Research Projects:

· Variable-Reluctance Spherical Motor for High-Precision Manipulation (SIMTech-NTU Joint Research) - completed

· Flexure-based Electromagnetic Linear Actuator for Nano-manufacturing (SIMTech-NTU Joint Research) - completed

· Ultrasonic Motor Transfer Technology (DSO) - completed

· Micro Motor and Actuator for Therapeutic Ingestible Microcapsule (ASTAR-DSI Medtech) - completed

PhD Research Projects:

· Design of Flexure Parallel Mechanisms for Micromanipulation (Huy Hoang Pham, 2002-2005)

· Modeling and Design of 3-DOF Permanent Magnetic Spherical Actuator (Liang Yan, 2004-2007)

· Design, Modeling and Control of an XYZ Flexure Parallel Mechanism with Large motion and Decoupled Kinematic Structure (Xueyan Tang, 2006-2008)

· Modeling Using Magnetic Dipole Moment Principle & Orientation Sensing Of An Electromagnetic Spherical Actuator (Chee Kian Lim, 2005-2008)

· Flexure-Based Electromagnetic Parallel-Kinematics Manipulator System (Tat Joo Teo, 2006-2009)

· Nano-scale non-contact measurements of freeform wavefronts and surfaces (Wenjiang Guo, AGS 2010 - 2014)

Collaborators:

· Dr. Bi Chao, Data Storage Institute, ASTAR, Singapore

· Dr. Zhao Liping, National Metrology Center, ASTAR, Singapore

· Prof. Kok-Meng Lee, Georgia Tech, USA

Novel Robotic Systems Design

Modularity has been a useful method in product design to reduce the complexity of design. This method has been proposed and practiced successfully to use on the design of novel industrial robots, biomimetic robots, other service robots, and even SmartSuit – the body motion capture system. Future research in this direction will focus on application-driven robot system design with industrial relevance. The industry covers traditional manufacturing sector as well as non-manufacturing sectors like medicine and entertainment intending to use RT as an innovative solution to their problems.

Applications: Industrial automation, Entertainment, Education, Service robots

Keywords: Modular robotics, Parallel manipulators, Parallel kinematic machines, Cable-driven manipulators, Robotic puppetry

Funded Research Projects

· Rapidly Reconfigurable Robitc Workcell (SIMTech Collaborative Research) - completed

· Parallel-Kinematics Machine Design for Submicron and Meso-scale Manipulation (Ministry of Education) - completed

· Task-Oriented Flexure-Based Parallel-Kinematics Positioners (SIMTech-NTU-Joint Research) - completed

· Interactive Robotic Lion Dancing System (SIMTech-NTU Joint Research) - completed

· A Versatile Simulation-Based Virtual Marionette Framework (NTU-IMI Seed) – completed

· Adaptation through Agile Reconfigurable Robotic Workcell (ASTAR SERC Industrial Robotics Program) – on-going

· Robot Application Development and Operation Environment (RADOE) (ASTAR SERC Industrial Robotics Program) – on-going

PhD Research Projects

· Kinematics, Dynamics, Calibration, and Optimization of Modular Reconfigurable Robots (Guilin Yang, 1996 – 1998)

· Kinematic Design and Control of Reconfigurable Parallel Manipulators (Anjan Kumar Dash, 2000 – 2003)

· Behavior-Based Physical Agents as Information Display Devices (Shusong Xing, 2001 – 2004)

· Parallel Manipulation Design with Joint-Coupling (Theingi, 2002 – 2005)

· Study on 6-DOF Decoupled Parallel Manipulators (Yan Jin, 2004 – 2007)

Collaborators:

· Dr. Yang Guilin, SIMTech, ASTAR, Singapore

· Prof. Jorge Angeles, McGill University, Canada

· Prof. Marco Ceccarelli, Uiversity of Cassino, Italy

· Prof. Alex Slocum, MIT, USA

· Prof. Kamal Yousef-Toumi, MIT, USA

PEOPLE

Dr. Albert Causo (Research Fellow)
Dr. Zou Yuhua (Research Fellow)
Dr. Liang Conghui (Research Fellow)
Liu Lili (Research Associate)
Emily Toh (Research Associate)
Vo Truong Giang (Project Officer)
Law Wei Chuan (Project Officer)
Yuan Qilong (Project Officer)
Teguh Santoso Lembono (Project Officer)
Guo Wenjiang (PhD, 2010 - 2014)
Ang Wei Sin (PhD, 2011 - 2015)
Tay Junyun (PhD, 2011 - 2015)
Li Bingbing (PhD, 2012 - 2016)
Charles Ng (PhD, 2012 – 2016)
Dong Huixu (PhD, 2014 – 2018)

Alumni

· Yang Guilin (PhD 1999, Director, Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, CAS Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology, China)

· Anjan Kumar Dash (PhD 2004, Associate Professor, Sastra University, India)

· Xing Shusong (PhD 2004, Associate Professor, Nai Kai University, Tianjin, China)

· Pham Huy Hoang (PhD 2005, Director, German Center, Ho Chi Minh City Univ of Technology, Vietnam)

· Theingi (PhD 2005, Pro-Rector, West Yangon Technological University, Yangon, Myanmar)

· Jin Yan (PhD 2007, Lecturer, Queens University, Belfast, UK)

· Yan Liang (PhD 2007, Professor, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China)

· Tan Xueyang (PhD 2008, Senior Engineer, Applied Science & Technology Research Institute, ASTRI, Hong Kong)

· Lim Chee Kian (PhD 2008, Lecturer, Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore)

· Teo Tat Joo (PhD 2009, Research Scientist, SIMTech, Singapore)

· Tan Chee Tat (M.Eng 1998, Business Manager, SIMTech)

· Phee Soo Jay (M Eng 1999, Professor and Chair, School of MAE, NTU, Singapore)

· Lim Wee Kiat (M.Eng 2000)

· Ho Hui Leong (M.Eng 2000, Lecturer, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore)

· Lim Chee Kian (M.Eng 2000)

· Gao Yan (M.Eng 2000)

· Li Kang (M.Eng 2010, Project Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Shanghai, China)

· Nguyen Kim Doang (M.Eng 2010, PhD, UIUC, USA)

PUBLICATIONS

· Publications prior to 2004 can be found and downloaded from here

· Complete list of publications (updated in Jan 2012)

· Erratum for recent papers is here

LINKS

· My citations record in Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Search

· The link to ResearcherID A3811-2011

· The link to ResearchGate

· My connection to Freudenstein Tree Project