:: research   

Research Areas Focused and Interested

1. Bio-Engineering and Assistive Technologies: Rehabilitation/haptic systems

2. Biological Inspired Engineering Design and Modelling: Biomimetics undulating fin (fish) and
    flapping wing (bird)

3. Mechatronics, Machine and Mechanism Design

4. Drop-impact Analysis and Absorption

Fully Developed and Tested Prototypes (since 2002)

Bio-engineering

Knee device (or robotics orthosis)

Rehabilitation gait device & system

Haptic device & system

Biologically Inspired Technologies

Robotic stingray with undulating fins

Robotic knifefish with undulating fins

Robotic Arowana

Robotic turtle with payload capability

UAV with flapping wings

Mobile Robots

Omni-directional wheel robot

Legged robot

Research funding

On-going projects

Central Narcotics Bureau (HOM/CNB06/LH16) PI

Research and Development of an Automated Urine Sealing Machine $175K, March 2007

NMRC (05Nov91) PI

Research and Implementation of Biofeedback Gait Rehabilitation Device for Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and Post-Stroke People $472K, Sep 2006

863 Project, China <Shanghai Jiao-tong University, China> Collaborator
Gait Analysis Biofeedback of Rehabilitation Legs RMB 1100K, Oct 2006

AcRF SEP (RG 93/06) PI
An investigation on the hydrodynamics and thrust generation of complex naturally evolved fin-based propulsive motion systems $43K, Mar 2007

AcRF (RG 23/06) PI
An investigation on the hydrodynamics and thrust generation of complex naturally evolved fin-based propulsive motion systems $75K, Oct 2006 

Mindef/NTU(JPP MD-NTU/06) PI

Modular Design and Control of Compliant Robotic Fish with Flexible Mechanisms $50K, Mar 2006

 A-STAR P0520082 Collaborator
MEMSWear II - Mission Critical Wearable Embedded Systems for Elderly Care $988K, Feb 2006

Completed projects

Design of a Handheld Smart Fingered Acupressure Device for Stress Relief <Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Engineering Cluster Seed Grant, BPE Cluster SFP 013-2005)

Foldable Articulated Exo-Devices for Assistance of Human Load Carrying and Locomotion, <Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Engineering Cluster Seed Grant, BPE Cluster SFP 014-2005)

Mechatronic Implementation and Mobility Study of a Lower Exoskeleton for Human Performance Enhancement <Mindef/NTU (JPP 03)>

Design and Implementation of a Terrain-Compliant Leg Suitable for Dynamically-Balanced Walking Machines <Mindef/NTU (JPP 99)>

Research on a New Modular Chain Guided by Vision <AcRF (RG 72/96)>

Analytical Modelling and Experimental Study of Electronic Chassis <Mindef/NTU (07/91)>

Effect of Mass Distribution of Components on the Natural Frequency of Enclosures Housing Electronic Equipment <Mindef/NTU (04/89)>

Design of a Low-Cost, High-Payload Robot for Simple Assembly Operations <RP22/89)>

Shock Analysis and Absorption of Audio Products < Philips (Toa Payoh) Fund/99 >

Research Activities

Manpower training

Trained 2 (two) postdoctoral fellows: currently with Lehman Brother Inc. (USA) and DaimlerChrysler (Canada), respectively.

Supervised and graduated 6 (six) PhD students and 12 (twelve) Master students (MEng & MSc), currently with Hewlett-Packard, Seagate, Molex; Research Institutes, University, etc.

Currently supervising 3 (three) PhD and 1 (one) Master students (since 2006)

Three (3) PhD and one (1) Master students to be enrolled in August 2007

Others:

URECA (Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus) students supervised:

10 (ten) <2006/07>, 4 (four) <2005/06>, 4 (four) <2004/05>

Junior College students: DSO National Laboratories, DYSP (Defence Young Scientist Program) 5 (five) <2006/07>

Exchange students from European (German, Belgium, Sweden and Switzerland) working on Robotics (2 to 3 students per year)

Recent Publicity & Press

(i) NTU develops underwater vehicle with mimetic fin feature (13 May 2006)

NTU's School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering has invented a biomimetic underwater vehicle with undulating fin features. The prototypes modelled after the stingray and knifefish are quiet, unlike conventional propeller-driven machines. The invention can be configured for various underwater operations, such as underwater mission execution and surveillance, cable and pipeline inspection, ship-hull inspection, the study of marine life, and the mapping of underwater terrain. The research team is currently exploring how to improve the invention's energy efficiency.
 

Local and International Media Coverage Obtained

Local coverage: The Straits Times (30 Dec 06, Pg S8), The Straits Times (13 May 06, Pg H10), LHZB (12 May 06, Pg 7), BH (15 May 06, Pg 2), SMDN (14 May 06, Pg 17), Channel NewsAsia (12 May 06, 10pm), Channel NewsAsia (12 May 06, online), Channel 5 news (12 May 06, 9.30pm), Channel 8 news (12 May 06, 6.30pm and 10pm), Channel U news (12 May 06, 11pm), Capital Radio FM95.8 (12 May 06, 6pm), 938Live (13 May 06, 1pm),

International coverage: Xinhua Net (12 May 06, online), People's Daily (13 May 06, online), Daily India (13 May 06, online), India eNews (13 May 06, online), New Kerela (13 May 06, online), Independent Online (13 May 06, online), Monsters and Critics (13 May 06, online), Yahoo (12 May, 06, online), Infopet, UK (13 May 06, online), Finsonline (13 May 06, online)

(ii) NTU assistive technology project featured at Global Entrepolis @ Singapore on 26 Sept 2005

'Exoskeleton', an innovation in assistive technology by NTU's School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering team led by A/P Low Kin Huat, was featured at a forum on assistive technology at Global Entrepolis @ Singapore. The technology is aimed at helping those with physical disabilities, such as the elderly and stroke patients, walk.

Lianhe Zaobao, Pg 2; Today, Pg 10; The Business Times, Pg 10; Lianhe Wanbao, Pg 8, 26 September 2005; Channel NewsAsia (online), 26 September 2005
Channel NewsAsia, 10:00pm, 26 September 2005
Channel 8, 6:30pm, 26 September 2005
Channel 8, 10:00pm, 26 September 2005
Channel U, 7:00pm, 26 September 2005
Channel U, 11:00pm, 26 September 2005

Taiwan News on the Assistive Device

http://www.uonline.nccu.edu.tw/article_display.aspx?pid=3&aid=7112

Invited seminars (since 2000)

Invited Seminar: Design and Implementation of Lower Exoskeleton for Strength and Endurance Enhancement, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), China, Dec 2005.

Invited Seminar: Mechatronics Design and Initial Testing of Biomimetics Robotics Fish, Unversity Science Technological China (USTC), China, Dec 2005.

Invited Seminar: Design and Implementation of Lower Exoskeleton for Strength and Endurance Enhancement, Zhejiang University, China, Dec 2005.

Invited Seminar: Mechatronics Design and Initial Testing of Biomimetics Robotics Fish, Xi’an Jiao Tong University, China, Dec 2005.

Invited Seminar: Mechatronics Design and Development Projects of Mobile Machines and the Mechanisms, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, Apr 2004.

Invited Seminar: Mechatronics Design and Development Projects of Mobile Land Machines, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, Mar 2004.

Invited Seminar: Mechatronics Design and Development of Mobile Land Robots in NTU, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, Dec 2003.

Invited Talk: Experimental and Analytical Vibration Analysis of Radially Rotating Beams, International Conference on Vibration Engineering, Beijing, China, June 1994.

Course Seminar: Fasteners Torque Control, Delphi Automotive System Singapore

Pte Ltd (Ang Mo Kio), 2003.

Course Seminar: Application of Structural Dynamics Analysis Software, Seagate Technology International, Singapore, Dec 2000.

Videos

Arowana Fish

Knife Fish

Robotic Fish