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Introduction
Hi there in case we are meeting for the first time.
I am currently a research scholar pursuing my doctoral studies in the domain of robotics under the guidance of Prof Dr. Asokan Thondiyath in IIT Madras. Prior to that I was working in TATA Motors as Graduate Engineering Trainee (GET) at Jamshedpur after completing my graduate studies in NIT Silchar. During my graduate studies, I have also worked as a research intern in DRDO Chandipur under the guidance of Dr HS Panda. My research areas include hybrid multi-medium robots, analysis of aeromodels, additive manufacturing using 3d printing and green energy harvesting. Some of the projects in the aforementioned areas are listed in the projects section.
Faculty Advisor
I am currently pursuing my doctoral studies in the field of Robotics under the guidance of Dr. Asokan Thondiyath. Asokan Thondiyath is a professor in the Department of Engineering Design, and currently the Head of the Department at IIT Madras. He has supervised 11 Ph.D and 9 MS students and currently supervising 6 Ph.D, 3 MS and 6 dual degree students. He is actively involved in many sponsored research projects with an approximate budget of Rs. 500 lakhs, sponsored by DRDO, ISRO, DST, NRB and other sponsoring agencies.
Project Proposal
Robots are generally classified based on their application or their areas of operation. There are mobile ground robots for terrestrial applications, underwater robots for submerged applications like offshore surveying, accessing and exploring marine ecological environment, and aerial robots for application in aerial reconnaissance, survey etc. While these vehicles are terrain specific i.e. have their performance optimized in a specific terrain but they cannot meet the demands and requirements of a multi medium operation.
In this context there is a huge need for cross domain robots capable of performing in multifarious environments where seamless transfer from ground to air or water to air can be done. These new age demands require a new design of cross domain transitioning vehicle which can combine the speed, agility, and maneuverability of an aerial vehicle with the stealth of an underwater vehicle and endurance of terrestrial robot.
Teaching assignments
Teaching Assistant for the course of ID6100 which deals in interacting with KUKA Manipulator by writing small programs in KRL (Kuka Robot Language) to perform gripping, drawing, pick and place tasks.
Visited Kundelimedu village, Thiruvallur district (4th October 2019), and Kotturpuram (11th August 2018) of TamilNadu to provide small children an introduction to various science experiments of optics, resonance, and diffraction which was a part of mobile education programme of IVIL(IIT for Villages).
Teaching Assistant for the course of ED1011 which deals with introducing undergraduate students to the basics of working of a drill machine and various concepts of product design associated with it.
Volunteered to be an online mentor for underprivileged students conducted by Co-Edu India during recent COVID pandemic and took some basic classes of science and maths.
Publications
Positions of Responsibility
Certified Robotics Instructor for IITM Incubated startup QR Wings conducting classes pan India for elementary robotics and its applications
Attended Pre-Conference Workshop on Robotic manipulators in field and service robotics , Coimbatore.
Member of organizing committee in Conference on Advances in Robotics (AIR 2019), IIT Madras
Teaching Assistant for NPTEL Course on Functional and Conceptual design, IITM ( Available online : https://youtu.be/YogRDMa6ALs )
Papers published (3 Journal Publications, 10 Conference Proceedings, 2 Patent Filed)
Journals
Design, analysis, and testing of a hybrid VTOL tilt-rotor UAV for increased endurance (MDPI Sensors, Publication DOI : https://doi.org/10.3390/s21185987, Link : https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/18/5987)
Characterisation of propulsion subsystem for submersible multimedium robotic vehicles. (IEEE Aerospace and Electronics System Magazine, Publication DOI : 10.1109/MAES.2022.3215653 , Link : https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9924587)
Real-time biodiversity analysis using deep learning algorithms on mobile robotic platforms (Peer J Computer Science, Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj-cs.1502 , Link : https://peerj.com/articles/cs-1502/ )
Conference Proceedings
Deep Learning based real-time biodiversity analysis using aerial vehicles ( 9th International Conference on Robot Intelligence Technology and Applications, Available Online : https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-97672-9_36)
Mathematical Modelling and control of submersible multimedium vehicles ( IEEE Oceans 2022, Available Online : https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9775252)
Multibody dynamics framework for performance evaluation of all- terrain rover ( IEEE International Conference on Advanced Robotics and its Social Impacts, May 28 - 30, 2022, Available Online : https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9802971)
Real-time Joint Angle Estimation using Mediapipe Framework and Inertial Sensors (2022 IEEE 22nd International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE) , 7- 9 November 2022, Available Online: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9973559 )
Mathematical modelling and control of Biomimetic Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (BAUV) based on flapping propulsion (6th International Conference on Advances in Robotics, AIR 2023: IIT Ropar, Available online: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3610419.3610435)
Swarm-based exploration in unknown environments: A case study of mobile robots using ROS framework (6th International Conference on Advances in Robotics, AIR 2023: IIT Ropar, Available online: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3610419.3610427)
Design and Simulation of a four-wheeled rover for enhanced lateral stability ( 21st International Conference on Advanced Robotics (ICAR 2023), 5-8 December- Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Available Online : https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10406439)
Real-time identification of plant diseases using aerial robots and deep learning techniques ( 21st International Conference on Advanced Robotics (ICAR 2023), 5-8 December- Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Available Online: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10406641)
Development of a Novel Three-Axis Force Sensor-Based Monitoring Device for Static Shoulder Therapy ( International Conference on Emerging Trends in Information Technology and Engineering (ICETITE)- VIT Vellore, India, Available Online : https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10493775 )
Virtual Reality-Based Training Simulator for Robot-Assisted Surgery Using Unity and 3D Slicer ( International Conference on Emerging Trends in Information Technology and Engineering (ICETITE)- VIT Vellore, India, Available Online : https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10493515 )
Patents Filed
Novel dune rover configuration for improved lateral stability and mobility in uneven terrains (Indian Patent Granted, IDF 2361, Indian Patent Application Number 202241044946 )
Novel three-axis force sensor-based monitoring device for static shoulder therapy (Indian Patent Filed, IDF 2860, Indian Patent Application Number 202441017269 )
Projects
What have I done?
This section deals with providing readers a brief summary of the projects in which I was involved and the papers published by me. Each project revolves around a conceptual idea that is designed, modeled, simulated, and then brought to life. Rather than boring you with the entire design methodology, I have provided a short outlook on each project separately. Many projects include the sweat and blood of other members who have been duly credited.
Feel like suggesting something? You know where to reach me
Till then keep inventing
Mathematical modelling and control of submersible multimedium UAV
Amphibious robots have become a topic of great interest because of their broad application prospect and cross-domain adaptability. Due to their transverse capability in air and water, submersible amphibious vehicles can effectively couple high speed lower drag cruise in the air with energy-efficient hover in aquatic environments by effectively utilizing the restoring forces. Mathematical modelling of the dynamics and control of such multi-medium robots is equally challenging especially considering the stability while transitioning between the two contradictory mediums. The governing equations have significant changes between these mediums, and they are coupled non-linear system of differential equations. Considerable variation in the physical properties like density and viscosity between these mediums demands a transition strategy, where a switching in the propulsion subsystem should also occur. This work presents the mathematical model and control of a proposed submersible UAV.
Credits : Dr Asokan T, Vaibhav Ashok , Dr. Thiyagarajan Ranganathan
Mathematical Modeling of UAVs
The entire aim of this project was to model an unmanned aerial vehicle including its kinematic and dynamical interactions with the environment such that its response can be studied for varying actuators, footprints and environment by implementing minor changes in the platform. Graphical User interface was also implemented to give an intuitive feel for the nature of motion.
Attached here is the simulation of the UAV with constant pitch input.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
SLAM Navigation in mobile robots
The entire aim of this project was to exploit mobile robots like turtlebots for teaching SLAM navigation using the ROS platform and LIDAR sensor data. While teleoperation can be used to create an occupancy gridmap, various packages were used for autonomous navigation and SLAM implementation for the turtlebot. The experimental demonstration is shown along the Rviz simulation in the alongside video.
Attached here is the simulation of the turtlebot with autonomous navigation from initial to goal pose.
Credits : Dr Asokan T, Prof. Nirav Patel, Prof. Nagamanikandan Govindan
Novel Hybrid VTOL Tiltrotor
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have slowly but steadily emerged as a research and commercial hotspot because of their widespread applications. Due to their agility, compact size and ability to integrate multiple sensors, they are mostly sought for applications which require supplementing human effort in risky and monotonous missions. Despite all these advantages Rotorcrafts or Vertical Take Off and Landing Vehicles (VTOL) in general are greatly limited by their endurance and power intensive flight requirements which consequentially effect the time of flight and operational range. On the other hand, fixed-wing aircrafts have an extended range as the entire thrust force is along the direction of motion and are inherently more stable but limited by their takeoff and landing strip requirements. One of the potential solutions to increase endurance of VTOL was to exploit the thrust vectoring ability of the individual actuators in multi-rotors which will enable takeoff and hovering as a VTOL vehicle and flight as a fixed-wing aircraft.
Publication : https://doi.org/10.3390/s21185987
Credits : Dr Asokan T, Surjdeo Singh, Siva Sai Krishna
Deep Learning based real-time biodiversity analysis using aerial vehicles
Climate change has greatly impacted the quality of natural resources and also lead to the degradation of our planet's ecological biodiversity. In response to such a critical issue, there are wildlife conservation programs worldwide. However, no effective methodology exists to assess the current biodiversity of an ecological area in real-time, which could help in environmental planning and track the changes in the place's biodiversity. Current ecological studies lead to the census of individual species by capture, mark, and recapture technique, which is cumbersome, inefficient, and time-consuming. Hence in this current research, we present the methodology in developing a real-time biodiversity map using deep learning algorithms like YOLOv3, which is applied on high spatial resolution photographs or real-time videos captured by inexpensive cameras mounted on a UAV platform for in-situ data acquisition.
Credits : Dr Asokan T, Prajwal Maski
Solar energy harvesting using DSSC
The major problem with solar cells of recent times is the cumbersome manufacturing process and its expense. Many semi-conductive devices like silicon and germanium are remarkably costly and devices made from them are susceptible to pollution and weather parameters. If we could reduce this cost and make the manufacturing process easy, it would pave way in the making of low power requirement devices self sustainable. In Dye sensitized solar cells we bio-mimic the chloroplast of plants and implement the same idea of photosynthesis to harvest clean, green and sustainable energy.
Presentation Link: https://prezi.com/igdigwl_mwb2/dye-sensitised-solar-cell/ Credits : Dr Agnimitra Biswas, Siddharth Hota, Jai Prakash
Fragmentation in Ballistic missiles
The aim of this project was to experimentally study fragmentation of elastic membrane and analogously compare it to ballistic missiles. The primary aim of this study is to find out the relationship between critical pressure, no of fragments, and distance of impact so that these parameters can be optimized to increase the impact of any elastic ballistic member.
Credits : Dr HS Panda
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
How can you reach me ?
Looking forward to hearing from you soon
Siddhant Panigrahi
Robotics Lab, Dept. of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, INDIAEmail : sid.panigrahi1709@gmail.com