Hi, I’m Naman

I am a first-year student at the University of Stuttgart, pursuing my master's degree in Computational Mechanics of Materials and Structures. I am currently working with Prof. Syn Schmitt on the design, modelling and physical prototyping of a soft bionic hand.

Previously, I have:

• Done my Bachelor's in Technology in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology BHU, Varanasi, India. I have worked with  Prof. Pawan Sharma on the design and modelling of soft actuators.      

• Interned at the Robotic Materials Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems as a DAAD WISE Scholar, German-Indo exchange program. I developed a bioinspired wing mechanism using HASEL actuators under the supervision of Prof. Christoph Keplinger and Mr. Toshihiko Fukushima.  

• Worked at IISc Bangalore at the Stochastic Robotics lab headed by Prof. Shishir Kolathaya on design optimisation of a quadruped robot for high payload applications.

My research is focused on replicating natural materials and designs to enhance the interactivity of robots with humans. I am specifically interested in biomimicry, soft robotics, biomechanics and mechatronics. Driven by these interests, I have submitted and presented research posters at esteemed conferences and tech meets. For more details, check out Research Posters.

Apart from my research activities, I was also an active member of the automobiles, robotics and research community of IIT (BHU) Varanasi. I had also been involved as the captain of my home institute's Formula Student Racing Team. I have worked on several interdisciplinary projects within these communities. For more details, check out Projects.

My hobbies include playing chess, football, cricket, volleyball and writing poems.