Lab Director
Dongming Gan, PhD
Dr. Dongming Gan, an Assistant Professor in Purdue University's School of Engineering Technology, holds Ph.D. degrees in Robotics and Mechanical Engineering from King’s College London and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. With a background including postdoc fellowships at the Italian Institute of Technology and teaching roles at Khalifa University, he specializes in robotics, theoretical kinematics, and intelligent reconfigurable systems. Dr. Gan's research focuses on designing compliant robot manipulators and flexible wearable devices for applications in manufacturing, healthcare, and human-robot co-existing scenarios. He has authored over 100 papers and holds six patents in these areas.
Dr. Gan serves as Associate Editor for Mechanism and Machine Theory, IMechE Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, and Robotica. Additionally, he holds editorial roles in Mechanical Sciences, Bionics and Biomimetics, and Applied Bionics and Biomechanics. He is an elected committee member of ASME DED Mechanism and Robotics and a member of ASME. He has actively contributed to program committees and symposiums of conferences such as IEEE ICRA, IROS, Cyber, IEEE/ASME ReMAR, Parallel, and ASME IDETC.
Research Interests: Robotics Design, Compliant Robotics Manipulation, Human Robot Interaction.
Personal Website Google Scholar
Email: dgan@purdue.edu
Current Students
Ph.D. Students
Jiaming Fu
Jiaming Fu is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Engineering Technology at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, advised by Dr. Dongming Gan. He earned a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University in 2019, focusing on soft robot research. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology in 2017. Jiaming has published 13 international journal and conference papers so far.
Research Interests：Robotics, Collaborative Robotics, Soft Robotics, Mechanism Design, Compliant Mechanisms, Variable Stiffness Mechanisms, Control, Force Sensing, and Machine Learning in Mechanical Design.
Email: fu330@purdue.edu
Ziqing Yu
Ziqing Yu is the 2nd year PhD student in Prof.Gan’s lab. His research is mainly on the application of variable stiffness actuator and gripper. He is working on the control of the collaborative robot.
Research Interests: Robotics, Control.
Email: yu1154@purdue.edu
Lei Jin
Lei Jin is a Purdue Ph.D. student specializing in Robotics and 3D Modeling with a solid history in research at Purdue, Northeastern, and UCLA. His projects in the U.S. and China, particularly on Cable-Driven Robots, showcase his commitment to engineering advancement. With degrees from UCLA and Northeastern and fluency in English and Chinese, Lei aims to use his skills and passion to propel technological innovations.
Research Interests: Robotics, Control System Engineering, 3D Modeling, Drafting, Innovation, Problem-Solving, Cable-Driven Parallel Robots, Multi-agent Systems.
Email: jin209@purdue.edu
Qianyu Guo
Qianyu Guo earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in software engineering from Shanxi University, China. She is currently working towards a Ph.D. in the School of Engineering Technology at Purdue University. Collaborating with her labmates, she focuses on utilizing event cameras to address the challenge of predicting gripper deformation.
Research Interests: Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Robotics.
Email: guo716@purdue.edu
Maitha Alqaydi
Maitha AlQaydi holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Khalifa University and a Master's degree in Robotics from King's College London. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the School of Engineering Technology at Purdue University. Her research interests lie broadly in Robotics and Control, with a particular emphasis on Cable-Driven Parallel Robots.
Research Interests: Robotics, Systems and Controls
Email: malqayd@purdue.edu
MS Students
Han Lin
Han Lin, currently pursuing a Master of Science in Engineering Technology at Purdue University, following the completion of his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology. His academic journey has been characterized by a passion for innovative research and a dedication to pushing the boundaries of engineering technology. His research interests lie at the intersection of mechanics and robotics systems. His prior experience in designing and testing innovative robotic grippers and compliant robotic links has deepened his commitment to addressing the challenges of safe human-robot interaction and enhancing robotic manipulation capabilities. Han is enthusiastic about contributing to the advancement of these fields through rigorous research and innovative solutions.
Research Interests: Compliant Rrobotic Systems, Variable Stiffness Mechanisms, Actuation-coordinated Mobile Robots with Hybrid Functions.
Email: lin853@purdue.edu
Xiaotong Huang
Xiaotong Huang, born on September 19, 1998, in Beijing. He is an emerging talent in the field of robotics and mechatronics engineering. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Robotics Engineering Technology and Mechatronics Engineering Technology at Purdue University between 2015 and 2020. Currently, he is pursuing his Master's degree in Engineering Technology at the same university. With a keen interest in mechanical motion analysis, he excels in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Matlab. His dedication to advancing his knowledge and skills in this field positions me as a promising figure in the world of engineering technology.
Research Interests: Mechanical Engineering, Robotic Engineering.
Email: huang803@purdue.edu
Jiayu Luo
Jiayu Luo is a graduate student at Purdue University with background in Robotics Engineering Technology, Mechatronics Engineering Technology, and a Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt certification. He has experience spans mechanical and circuit design, programming, and manufacturing, as his work includes mechanical design for a passive variable-stiffness elbow structure and a mobile autonomous robot for sanitizing public spaces during COVID-19. He is interested in wireless communication, culinary skills and hiking experience.
Research Interests: Variable Stiffness, Wireless Communication, Linearization Simulation, Robotics.
Email: luo288@purdue.edu
Hammad Alvi
Hammad Alvi, currently pursuing an M.S. in Engineering Technology at Purdue University, specializes in variable stiffness technologies for robotic and human rehabilitation systems. With a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the American University of Sharjah in UAE, he garnered two years of experience at AstraUTM, excelling in UAV system design. As an Undergraduate Research Assistant, Hammad Alvi published two journal articles on aerial manipulator systems. His expertise seamlessly blends academic rigor with practical insights, showcasing a commitment to advancing engineering solutions.
Research Interests: Robotics Design, Human-robot Interaction Systems, Autonomous Vehicle Systems
Personal Website: www.hammad-alvi-portfolio.com/
Email: alvim@purdue.edu