Research Activities by Professor Z. Qu

1. Summary of Research Outcomes:

·         Books authored: 3 (1 on robotics, 1 on robust control of nonlinear uncertain systems, and 1 on cooperative control).

·         Refereed journal articles: 122.

·         Book chapters and conference papers: 199.

·         Students supervised: 3 post doctors, 9 Ph.D., and 20 masters.

·         Funding received as PI and Co-PI: $3 million from NSF, AFOSR, Army, NASA, ONR, industry, etc.

·         Students in progress: 4 Ph.D. and 2 masters.

·         Patent: 2.

2. Research Areas:

    Systems theory, control theory, robotics, autonomous vehicles, automation in manufacturing, and power systems.

3. Focus of Current Research: 

      3.1 Systems and Control:

·         Nonlinear Systems Theory: qualitative and quantitative behaviors, nonlinear optimality, nonlinear stabilizability, observability, etc.

·         Advanced nonlinear controls including robust control, adaptive control, nonlinear optimal and near-optimal controls, iterative learning control, model reference control, and observer-based control.

      3.2 Autonomous Networked Systems and Intelligent Robotic Vehicles:

·         Real-time trajectory planning in dynamically changing and uncertain environments.

·         Advanced controls of nonholonomic dynamical systems.

·         Cooperative control of autonomous dynamical systems.

4. Other Areas of Research and Development:

·         Intelligent systems, fault tolerant control and systems, etc.

·         Electrical power systems: decentralized control, optimal power flow, FACTS, etc.

·         Modeling and systems identification: semiconductor process and automation, and biomedical systems.

·         Mechanical and aerospace systems: control of flexible systems, missile guidance and satellite control.

·         Robotics: force control techniques, object avoidance and dexterous robots, vision-based controls, Autonomous vehicles and mobile robots, material handing and automation.

·         Real time systems: signal processing, image processing and optical character recognition, software for real-time systems.

5. Supervision of Postdoctors and Ph.D./M.Sc. Graduates:

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Real-Time Path Planning for Ground and Aerial Vehicles in a Dynamic Environment. Mr. Jian Yang. Complete in Spring 2008.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Nonlinear Adaptive Estimation and Its Application to Synchronization of Chaotic Systems. Ms. Yufan Jin. Completed in Summer 2004.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Optimal UPFC Control and Operation for Power Systems. Mr. Xiaohe Wu. Completed in Spring 2004.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Robust Control Based on Estimating Nonlinear Uncertainties. Mr. Apiwat Saengdeejing. Completed in Fall 2002.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Model reference robust control of MIMO nonlinear uncertain systems and its applications. Mr. Hollis Ambrose. Completed in Fall 97.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Robust control designs for large scale power systems. Mr. Hongzhi Cai 6. Completed in Spring 97.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Dynamic Robust Recursive Control: Theory and Applications. Mr. Richard Hull. Summer 1996.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Learning control of nonlinear uncertain systems and its applications. Mr. Chan Ham.Completed in Summer 1995.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Robust control of nonlinear uncertain systems: Theory and applications. Mr. Joseph Kaloust, Completed in Spring 1995.  

 

·         Postdoctoral researcher, Advanced controls of nonholonomic systems, Dr. Jing Wang, 2002 to 2007.

·         Postdoctoral researcher, Control of nano-particles, Dr. Shunfang Li, March 2006 to June 2006.

·         Postdoctoral researcher, Modeling and transient stability assessment of large scale power systems, Dr. Deqiang Gan, June 1995 to January 1997.

 

·         M.Sc. thesis, A Multi-objective No-regret Decision Making Model with Baysian Learning for Autonomous Unmanned Systems, Mr. Matthew D. Howard. Complete in Fall 2008.

·         M.Sc. thesis, A virtual reality visualization of an analytical solution to mobile robot trajectory generation in the presence of moving obstacles. Mr. Ricardo Elias. Completed in Spring 2007.

·         M.Sc. thesis, A Third-Order Differential Steering Robot and Trajectory Generation in the Presence of Moving Obstacles. Mr. Vatana Ann. Completed in Fall 2005.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Predictive Control for Dynamic Systems to Track Unknown Input In the Presence of Time Delay. Ms. Yulan Li. Completed in Fall 2005.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Autonomous Robotic Automation System with Vision Feedback. Mr. Jeffery M. Rosino. Completed in Fall 2004.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Power System Stability: A Comparative Study Using Eigenvalue Analysis and Nonlinear Simulation. Mr. Faisal Alhasawi. Completed in Summer 2002.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Robust Adaptive Control Design and Simulation of a Nonlinear Flexible System. Mr. Weiwei Jin. Completed in Fall 2000.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Application of Lyapunov Based Sensor Fault Detection in a Reverse Water Gas Shift Reactor Mr. Curtis Ihlefeld. Completed in Fall 2000.

·         M.Sc. thesis, The Development of a Web Based Application for Simulating Dynamic Systems by Remotely Accessing MATLAB Using Java and XML. Mr. Wai Lun Chan. Completed in Summer 99.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Design of neuro-fuzzy controller using reinforcement learning with applications to linear systems and inverted pendulum. Mr. Apiwat Saengdeejing. Completed in Fall 1998.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Real-time visualization of robot control manipulators. Mr. Ross S. Hamrash. Completed in Fall 1998.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Dynamic simulation and 3-D visualization of robotic control systems. Mr. Fredrik Johansson. Completed in Fall 1997.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Dynamic Analysis and Control Design for a Six-Link Robotic Manipulator. Ms. Ailing Wang. Completed in Spring 97.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Feedback control of the inverted pendulum. Mr. Ralf Andrews. Completed in Spring 1997.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Kinematic Design of a Low Cost 3-D Motion Platform. Mr. R. Thomas Schlageter. Completed in Summer 1996.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Nonlinear robust control design for a series DC motor utilizing the recursive design approach. Mr. Michael J. Burridge. Completed in Fall 1995.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Feedback control of robot manipulators | toward a vision feedback system. Mr. Sundeep Chandhoke, completed in Spring 1995.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Negative feedback control design for a power buck convertor. Mr. Syed M Razvi. Completed in Spring 1994.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Computer simulations on transient stability and control of power systems. Ms. Jie Wang. Completed in Spring 1993.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Robust guaranteed cost control of uncertain nonlinear robotic systems using mixed minimum time and quadratic performance index. Mr. Joseph Kaloust. Completed in Fall 1992.

·         M.Sc. thesis, The control of a two-axis robot arm using the TSM320C25 software development system. Mr. Christopher J. Krecek. Completed in Summer 1992. Co-advisor.

6. Graduate Students under Supervision:

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Dielectric Electroactive Polymer Generators and Actuators: Modeling, Identification, Control and Applications, Mr. Curtis Ihlefeld, expected to complete in Fall 2009.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Control of Nonholonomic Systems. Mr. Hongliang Yuan. Expected to complete in Summer 2009.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, Reactive Control of Autonomous Dynamical Systems. Mr. Jiangmin Chunyu. Expected to complete in Fall 2009.

·         Ph.D. dissertation, TBD, Mr. Shiyuan Jin. Expected to complete in 2010-2011.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Planning and control of UAVs, Mr. Juan Vega-Nevarez. Expected to complete in Summer 2009.

·         M.Sc. thesis, Guidance and Control of New-Generation Interceptors, Mr. Mark Snyder. Expected to complete in Summer 2009.

7. Results of Current Research: