Principal Investigator
Kaveh Akbari Hamed, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Virginia Tech
Email: kavehakbarihamed@vt.edu
Abhishek Pandala
Ph.D. Candidate
Leila Amanzadeh
Ph.D. Student
Basit Muhammad Imran
Ph.D. Student
Mechanical Engineering
Co-advisor: Dr. Alex Leonessa
Thesis: Distributed Control of Multiagnet Legged Systems
Email: basit@vt.edu
Taizoon Chunawala
Ph.D. Student
Current Graduate Students
Graduate Students Alumni as Primary Advisor
Randall T. Fawcett
Ph.D. Student
Mechanical Engineering
Dissertation: Hierarchical Control of Constrained Multi-Agent Legged Locomotion: A Data-Driven Approach
Ph.D. Defense Date: May 2023
Email: randallf@vt.edu
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Vinay R. Kamidi
Ph.D. Student
Mechanical Engineering
Dissertation: Distributed Feedback Control Algorithms for Cooperative Locomotion: From Bipedal to Quadrupedal Robots
Ph.D. Defense Date: March 2022
Email: vinay28@vt.edu
Now Sr. Software and Controls Engineer at Apptronik (website)
Joseph Martin
M.S. Student
Mechanical Engineering
M.S. Defense date: October 2020
Email: josephbmartinv@vt.edu
Now Robotics Controls Engineer at Arrival (website)
Jeeseop Kim
Ph.D. Student
Mechanical Engineering
Dissertation: Cooperative Locomotion of Quadrupedal Robots: From Supervisory Predictive Control to Distributed Control
Ph.D. Defense Date: August 2022
Email: jeeseop@vt.edu
Now Postdoctoral Researcher at Caltech (website)
Randall T. Fawcett
M.S. Student
Mechanical Engineering
Thesis: Real-Time Planning and Nonlinear Control for Robust Quadrupedal Locomotion with Tails
M.S. Defense date: July 2021
Email: randallf@vt.edu
Loek J. Trimbach
International Visitor (M.S. Student), 01/2019-03/2019
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)
Email: l.j.trimbach@student.tue.nl
Visitors
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Former Undergraduate Students
Former K-12 Researchers
Prospective Students
We always look for motivated, talented graduate students from all over the world who wish to undertake Ph.D. research at the cutting edge of control theory, robotics, and machine learning. The desired candidates hold an MS or BS degree in Engineering (preferably ECE, ME, AE), (Applied) Mathematics, Computer science, or related fields. The candidates for these positions should have a strong background in mathematics, programming, and hardware, together with hands-on experience. In particular, we are interested in the following skills:
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Strong mathematical knowledge of control theory and robotics;
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Strong programming skills: C/C++, MATLAB/Simulink, Python, ROS, and Microcontrollers; and
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Implementing feedback control in hardware.
If interested, please e-mail Dr. Akbari Hamed with a 1) cover letter and 2) resume/CV as PDF attachments.