Topic: To be announced

Ye Ding

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Abstract:   To be announced

Biography:  

Topic: To be announced

Yaguo Lei

Xi'an Jiaotong University

Abstract:   To be announced

Biography:   Yaguo Lei is a Professor and Executive Vice Dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Xi'an Jiaotong University. He is a recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, a selected member of the National High-Level Talent Program, and a Chief Scientist of a National Key R&D Project. He is also an ASME Fellow, IET Fellow, ISEAM Fellow, and a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, He received his BSc and PhD. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Xi'an Jiaotong University in 2002 and 2007, respectively. From 2008 to 2009, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Alberta. He joined Xi'an Jiaotong University as an Associate Professor in 2010 and was a Humboldt Fellow at the University of Duisburg-Essen from 2012 to 2013. In 2013, he was promoted to Full Professor and PhD Supervisor. Professor Lei holds leadership positions in various academic organizations, including serving as Vice Chair of the Industrial Big Data and Intelligent Systems Division of the Chinese Society of Mechanical Engineering and as an Associate Editor of IEEE Industrial Electronics and Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing. He has received multiple honors, including the Second Prize of the National Technological Invention Award, the China Youth Science and Technology Award, and the First Prize of the Ministry of Education’s Natural Science Award. His academic contributions include three monographs and over 100 research papers, with more than 20 recognized as ESI Highly Cited Papers and a total citation count exceeding 17,000.

Intervention-Autonomous Underwater Robots: Research Challenges, Opportunities, and Case Studies

Dikai Liu

University of Technology Sydney

Abstract:   Current applications of robotics is distinguished from more traditional automation by the focus on robots that operate autonomously in unstructured and dynamic environments, or collaboratively with humans. A number of autonomous robotic systems have been deployed in highly challenging application areas including steel bridge maintenance, and underwater structure cleaning and inspection. This talk will discuss the research and methodologies needed for intervention-autonomous underwater robots to physically interact with underwater structures and conduct cleaning and inspection operations. Topics include research challenges; enabling methodologies, including sensing, localisation, planning and control; robot system design; field trials; and lessons learnt.

Biography:   Dikai Liu is a distinguished professor at the Robotics Institute of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and an IEEE RAS Distinguished Lecturer. He is Director of the ARC Research Hub for Human-Robot Teaming for Sustainable and Resilient Construction (2024-2029). He served as Co-Director of the UTS Centre for Autonomous Systems (2013-2019) and played the key role in establishing the UTS Robotics Institute in 2019. His research interest lies in robotics, with a focus on field robotics, human-robot collaboration, and robot systems. In addition to conducting fundamental robotics research, he has been instrumental in transforming robotics research into industry applications. Examples include autonomous robots for bridge maintenance, bio-inspired climbing robots for inspection of confined space, intelligent robotic co-worker for human-robot collaborative abrasive blasting, smart hoist for patient transfer, and autonomous underwater robots for underwater structure maintenance. Since 2006, his research has received over 20 Best Paper and Research/Engineering Excellence awards, including the 2024 IEEE IROS Harashima Award, the 2019 UTS Medal for Research Impact, the 2019 ASME DED Leonardo da Vinci Award, the 2019 BHERT Award for Outstanding Collaboration in Research & Development, and the 2016 Australian Engineering Excellence Awards (AEEA). His research has been featured by reputable newspapers and TV news channels, such as the BBC, ABC, SBS, TVBS (Taiwan), Sydney Morning Herald, 7News, AFR, and The Robot Report (USA).

Topic: To be announced

Jinhao Qiu

Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Abstract:   To be announced

Biography:   Jinhao Qiu is a Professor at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a Distinguished Professor under the "Changjiang Scholars Program of China," Chief Scientist of Project 937, and an ASME Fellow. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Director of the State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures. He received his BSc and MSc in Engineering from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1983 and 1986, respectively, and obtained his PhD in Engineering from Tohoku University, Japan, in 1996. He previously held a professorship at Tohoku University before returning to China in 2006 to teach full-time. Professor Qiu has chaired or served as an organizing committee member for over 40 international and domestic conferences on intelligent materials and structures and has delivered more than 50 invited talks. He is currently an Associate Editor of the Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures and serves on the editorial boards of multiple academic journals. He has received numerous research awards, including the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers' Outstanding Achievement Award, the Ministry of Education's Science and Technology Progress Award, the National Defense Science and Technology Invention Award, and the Jiangsu Provincial Science and Technology Award. His academic contributions include over 400 journal publications, five co-authored books, and more than 50 national invention patents.

Topic: To be announced

Wenming Zhang

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Abstract:   To be announced

Biography:   Wenming Zhang is a renowned professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering and Power Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), and serves as the Dean of SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology. He has long been devoted to cutting-edge research on micro/nano-electromechanical system (MEMS) dynamics, intelligent flexible actuation and sensing technologies, and soft robotics design. Prof. Zhang Prof. Zhang has published over 300 papers in journals such as Nature Communications, Science Advances, and Advanced Materials. He published 1 monographs and held 50 authorized domestic and international patents and software copyrights. Professor Zhang was awarded the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (2017), selected for the Shanghai Rising-Star Program (2011) and Shanghai Dawn Scholar (2015), and selected as the National Young Top-Notch Talent of "Ten Thousand Talents Program". He has led more than 30 projects, including more than 30 projects including the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Defense Science and Technology Innovation Special Zone Projects, and National Science and Technology Major Project.

Topic: To be announced

Shengxi Zhou

Northwestern Polytechnical University

Abstract:   To be announced

Biography:   Shengxi Zhou is a professor in the School of Aeronautics at Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU). His research focuses on vibration energy harvesting, nonlinear system dynamics, and intelligent vibration control. Prof. Zhou has published over 100 SCI-indexed papers in journals such as Joule, Nonlinear Dynamics, and Journal of Sound and Vibration. His work has garnered over 9,000 citations and received positive evaluations by more than 10 academicians from countries including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, as well as over 30 ASME/IEEE/IOP Fellows and other peers. Prof. Zhou hosted over 30 research projects, including the National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, provincial and ministerial projects.