Dr Sumeet S. Aphale

Specialisms

• Acoustics and Vibration
• Control Systems
• Dynamics
• Mechatronics and Robotics

Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Research Overview

I lead the newly formed Artificial intelligence, Robotics and Mechatronic Systems Group (ARMS)  comprising of myself and Drs. Giannaccini, Meissner and Starkey.

My expertize lie in the broad fields of Robotics, Mechatronics and Applied Control. I enjoy formulating, testing, quantifying and optimizing new system designs, sensing schemes and control algorithms that deliver significant performance improvement in a wide range of technology-enabling systems such as parallel manipulators, flexible and soft robots, scanning probe microscopes, nanopositioning devices, biomedical systems, smart structures, precise multi-system alignment, drill-strings and optical focusing equipment, to name a few. I focus on developing simple, practical and implementable solutions for seemingly complex problems. I am always interested in pursuing industrial and academic collaborations that will inform, facilitate and progress my work. I am a Chartered Engineer and have held several consultancies with hi-tech as well as Oil and Gas related companies to facilitate technology development and transfer.

View my Google Scholar profile.

Current Research

My current research / consultancy projects focus on:

• Control of precision mechatronic systems
• Active Vibration Isolation and Control (AVI and AVC)
• Dynamics and Control of highly nonlinear systems
• Soft Robots - Dielectric Elastomer Actuators and 3D-printed pneumatics
• Self-balancing Robots 
• Control applications in Electrical Power Engineering
• Control of Smart Materials and Structures
• Sensing, Instrumentation, Control and Automation for O&G and wider industry

Within the School of Engineering, I am a member of the Centre for Applied Dynamics Research and the Aberdeen HVDC Research Centre

I am always interested in probing new ideas. It is quite possible that I may not know of your work but, if you think a collaboration is possible, please drop me an email.

External Examiner At

• Robert Gordon University, UK
• University of Adelaide, Australia
• University of New South Wales, Australia
• University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
• Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain
• Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India

Visitors

• Dr Geng Wang (Henan Polytechnic University, China): January 2020 - January 2021
• Ms Linlin Li (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China): 1st May - 31st October 2019
• Mr Paul Antoine (ENSTA Paris Tech, France) : June - July 2017
• Dr Andres San-Millan (University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) : 1st May - 30th July 2016
• Dr Andres San-Millan (University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) : 1st May - 30th July 2014
• Prof. Paul Reynolds (University of Exeter, UK) : May 2012
• Prof. Andrew J. Fleming (University of Newcastle, Australia) : July 2011
• Dr Emiliano Pereira Gonzales (University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) : May - June 2010

Past Research

• Control of Gough-Stewart Platforms (Hexapods)
• Robust Kinematic Design of fault-tolerant Gough-Stewart Platforms (Octopods)
• Energy Harvesting via smart materials

Collaborations

• Prof. Paul Reynolds, Vibration Engineering Section, Exeter University, UK.
• Prof. Vicente Feliu Batlle, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain.
• Prof. Andrew J. Fleming, Precision Mechatronics Lab, University of Newcastle, Australia.
• Prof. Guoying Gu, Robotics Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.
• Prof. Limin Zhu, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Systems and Vibration, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.
• Dr. Emiliano Pereira Gonzalez, University of Alcala, Spain.
• Assoc. Prof. Bharath Bhikkaji, Indian Institute of Technology - Chennai, India.
• Prof. Abdus Samad, Indian Institute of Technology - Chennai, India.
• Prof. Antoine Ferreira, LVR ENSI de Bourges, France.
• Prof. Santosh Devasia, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
• Prof. Kam K. Leang, University of Utah - Salt Lake City, USA.

Supervision

Current Students

Lead Supervisor for:

• James D. Maclean : Ph.D. student (Expected Graduation: January 2022)
• Adedayo Babarinde : Ph.D. student (Expected Graduation: March 2022)

Co-supervisor for:

• Adamu Adamu : Ph.D. student (Expected Graduation: January 2023)
• Mohsen Lalehparvar : PhD. student (Expected Graduation : January 2024)

Graduated Students

• Stefan Kovacevic (with Prof. D. Jovcic) - Ph.D. 2021
• Suoda Chu (with Dr. K. Nakkeeran) - Ph.D. 2020.
• Ibukunolu Oladunjoye - Ph.D. 2019.
• Mohammed Altaher - Ph.D. 2019.
• Douglas Russell - Ph.D. 2018.
• Mohammad Namavar - Ph.D. 2015

Research Funding and Grants

• ETP Project with Frisco eBikes (with Drs Syed and Jamshidi Far): Contactless eBike charging port (£9825) 2021.
• Pump-Prime Interdisciplinary Research and Impact Award (with Drs Broche and Jamshidi Far): Fast Field Cycling prototype improvements (£9770) 2021.
• Pump-Prime Interdisciplinary Research and Impact Award (ARMS Group and Prof. Bach): Human-Robot Interaction Network (£10000) 2021.
• Interface (with Glenn Buchan Engg, Drs Syed and Vairi) - (£5000) 2021.
• Interface (with Don Energy and Dr Vaziri) - (£5000) 2021.
• Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation (KEC) Award (with Desire Hygine and Dr. Giannaccini): (£7015) 2021. 
• Consultancy (with Dr. Vaziri) - Baker Hughes UK - (£4574) 2021.
• Interface (with Desire Hygine and Dr. Giannaccini) - (£5000) 2020.
• Interface (with AFB Racing and Dr. Thevar) - (£5000) 2020.
• Consultancy (with Dr. K. Nakkeeran) - Swire Oilfield Services - (£11904) - 2020.
• Consultancy (with Dr A. Jamshidi Far) - BP PLC (UK) - (£42360) 2019 - 2020.
• NSFC (P.R. China) Grant No: 51975375 (Jan 2020 - Dec 2023) - Control of ultrafast AFM nanopositioners using delayed feedback and general internal model principle, Co-investigator, with Principal Investigator Prof. L M Zhu - (RMB 600K).
• DUO-India Research Fellowship (with Assoc. Prof. Abdus Samad, IIT-M) - (€6000) - 2020.
• Interface (with Aashraya Ltd and Dr Maheri) - (£5000) 2019.
• Interface (with TWEFDA Ltd and Dr Jamshidi Far) - (£5000) 2019.
• Interface (with SteerSafe) - (£5000) 2018.
• Consultancy - Proserv (UK). (£7080) 2018.
• Visiting Research Fellowship (Binks Trust Fund) : The State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Systems and Vibrations, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. (£4135) 2018.
• Consultancy - Proserv (UK). (£4324) 2018.
• Reseau de Transport d’electricite (RTE, France): LCC and MCC HVDC Dynamic Interactions in Subsynchronous domain, (1 January 2017 - 30 June 2020). Co-investigator, with Principal Investigator Prof. Dragan Jovcic. (£114K). 
• Consultancy (with Dr T. Thevar) - McGregor Tech (UK) Ltd. (£17000) 2016.
• Spanish Ministry of Education Pre-doctoral Mobility Grant for Mr Andres San-Millan (€3000) 2016.
• Scoping Project - Aker Subsea Ltd. (£9500) 2015.
• Spanish Ministry of Economics and Competitiveness: Development of novel damping systems for pedestrian structures. (2014 - 2016) Co-investigator, with Principal Investigator Iván Muñoz Díaz and co-investigators Francisco Martínez Cutillas, Juan Carlos Mosquera Feijóo, Rafael Fernández Díaz-Munío, Emiliano Pereira González, Jesús de Sebastián Sanz, Paul Reynolds, Carlos Zanuy Sanchez, José Rodellar Benede, Pablo de la Fuente Martín (€54450)
• Principal's Excellence Fund (£500) 2014
• Spanish Ministry of Education Pre-doctoral Mobility Grant for Mr Andres San-Millan (€3000) 2014.
• ITI Energy: Resonance Enhanced Drilling - Phase 1, (Oct 2009 - Sept 2011). Co-investigator, with Principal Investigator Prof. M. Wiercigroch and co-investigators Dr E. Pavlovskaia and Dr D Hendry. (£1.01M).
• NESTech Grant: Development of an apparatus and method for neuromuscular stimulation, (2009 - 2011). Co-investigator, with Dr. Richard Neilson and Dr. Marco Cardinale. (£144K).
• Spanish Ministry of Education Post-Doctoral Fellowship for Dr Emiliano Pereira Gonzales (€43500) 2009-2011.
• University of Newcastle, Australia: Travel Grant for SPIE Smart Structures / NDE 2007: 1700$.
• University of Newcastle, Australia: ECR Encouragement Award 2007: 1000$