News

2023

• As part of the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) Mentorship 360-WSU subaward grant, we organized a faculty lunch and learn session and symposium on Monday, October 2, 2023, from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM in RSC Room 266 (Pike). The panel of faculty members leading the discussion included Dr. Krishna Krishnan, Dr. Ikram Ahmad, Dr. Wilfredo Moscoso, Dr. Cindi Mason, and Dr. Adam Lynch. The session began with an introduction to Mentorship 360-based activities and faculty development grant opportunities through KEEN, presented by Dr. Yimesker Yihun. Dr. Wilfredo Moscoso followed with a presentation on using Entrepreneurially Minded Learning (EML) and project-based teaching in manufacturing class. The panel discussions covered two key topics: "Elements of good project-based learning assignments" and "Discussing the impact of AI tools in Engineering Education."
• Congratulations to Pablo Delgado for successfully defending his Ph.D. in May 2023 and embarking on a career as a control engineer at Actalent!
• Robotics and Control Lab has provided lab tours for high school students and their parents at the 2023 Open House: Next Gen Program Lab  Tours, 05/05/2023.
• Congratulation to Clarissa Rincon for her outstanding achievement in successfully completing her undergraduate degree and being admitted directly into the Ph.D. program in Bioengineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology! , She has started her PhD study at Georgia Tech in Fall 2023.
• Congratulations to Nathan Gonzalez for successfully completing his undergraduate degree in May 2023 and embarking on a career as a design engineer at Contech Engineered Solutions!
• Yi Sheng Tan, an Undergraduate Research Assistants from Robotics and Control Laboratory has presented his work in the 2023 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum.  Sheng made oral presentation of his project, "DESIGN OF AN INTEGRATED GRIPPER for UNIVERSAL ROBOTIC 5 (UR-5). 

2022

• From Oct 19 to 20, the Robotics and Control Lab research group has successfully completed testing of two in-house built (joint and task-based exoskeletons) using people with limited upper extremity mobility. This was done in collabration with  Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation (CPRF).  More details about the collabration and the testing process can be found here.

   

                                           

   

• Pablo Delgado has presented his research work at the ASME IDETC Conference St. Louis, Missouri, Aug 14-17, 2022. 
• Robotics and Control Lab has provided lab tours for high school students and their parents at the 2022 Open House: Next Gen Program Lab  Tours, 05/06/2022. Great work by graduate students ( Pablo and Virgil), and Undergraduate students (Clarisa, Nathan, and Gissele), they were able to show some of their research works for almost 100+ visitors. 

• Congratulations! Gissele Mosqueda for winning the 2022 undergraduate student of the year award! 

• Undergraduate Research Assistants from Robotics and Control Laboratory have presented their work in the 2022 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum. 
  • Gissele Mosqueda made oral presentation of her project , "Optimal Rest Interval Between Sets in Robot-Based Upper-Arm Rehabilitation"
  • Clarissa Rincon made poster  presentation of her project, " Assessment of Upper-Limb Task and Joint-Based Exoskeletons for Rehabilitation"

  • Nathan Gonzalez made oral presentation of his project, "Upper Rehabilitation Exoskeleton Design and Assessment"                                                             

• Congratulations! Pablo for winning the prestigious award, Maha "Maggie" Sawan Fellowship, amount $6,400, Wichita State University 2022-2023.

2021

• Congratulations! to Hongsheng He (PI), CO-PIs: Yimesker Yihun, Gamal S Weheba, Enkhsaikhan Boldsaikhan, and Saideep Nannapaneni,  for research award of their project "FW-HTF-P: Human-Agent Teaming for the Future of Work in Aircraft Manufacturing", NSF, CMMI, Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Core Research, $149,965.00, from 1/1/2022 to 12/31/2022. 
• Congratulations! to Dr. Yihun (PI), Dr. Wei (C0-PI), Dr. Nair (C0-PI), Dr. Kim(C0-PI), and Dr. Zewdie(C0-PI)-the  project ``Faculty Connection and Mentorship Through an Integrated EM Curriculum'' has been selected for Mentorship 360 award from Arizona State University, $100,000, July 20, 2021.
• Congratulations! to Dr. Yihun (PI), Dr. Nils Hakansson (Co-PI), and Dr. Jaydip Desai (Co-PI) for the REU supplement research grant from National Science Foundation (NSF) for their project on "Bio-inspired Exoskeletons and Safety in Human-Exoskeleton Cooperation." The total funding is $ 24,000.00, July 2021
• Congratulations! Thisath Don, defended his M.S. thesis,  July 9, 2021.
• Congratulations! Virgil Miranda, defended his M.S. thesis, July 8, 2021.
• As part of the NSF grant  on Bio-inspired Exoskeletons and Safety in Human-Exoskeleton Cooperation,a summer research fellowship were given to six high School students. The students were introduced to diffrent projects from June 7 to Jun 11, 2021.                                                                                                    
• Congratulations! Clarissa received the  College of Engineering Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Activity Grant, $4000.00,0 May 2021.
• Congratulations! Jose Esquivel, defended his M.S. thesis,  April 29, 2021.
• Gissele Mosqueda has presented her collabrative research work entitled "The Integration of Physical and Mental Factors in Robot-based Assist-as-Needed Rehabilitation" inthe 2021 Design of Medical Devices Conference, April 14, 2021
• Pablo Delgado has presented his collabrative research work entitled "Design of Bio-Exoskeleton for Elbow Rehabilitation" inthe 2021 Design of Medical Devices Conference, April 14, 2021

2020

• Congratulations! Amirhossien Majidirad joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of North Florida as an Assistant Professor, August 04, 2020.
• Congratulations! to Dr. Yihun for receiving the 2020 Wallace Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award, College of Engineering at Wichita State University
• Congratulations! Suveen Emmanuel, defended his M.S. thesis, July, 8, 2020.
• Congratulations! Amirhossien Majidirad, Defended his PhD Dissertation, June 29, 2020. 
• Congratulations! Gissele received the  College of Engineering Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Activity Grant, $4000.00,0 May 2020.
• Congratulations! Dr. Lisa Vangsness and Dr. Yihun for the  WSU Regional Institute on Aging (RIA) Research Award ( $25,000) for the project "Integration of HumanFactors with the Automation of Robot-based Upper-limb Rehabilitation”
•  A PhD student Pablo Delgado has joined the Robotics and control research group, January 15, 2020. Pablo, Welcome to the group.

2019

• Congratulations! to Dr. Yihun (PI), Dr. Nils Hakansson (Co-PI), and Dr. Jaydip Desai (Co-PI) for the research grant from National Science Foundation (NSF) for their project on "Bio-inspired Exoskeletons and Safety in Human-Exoskeleton Cooperation." The total funding is $ 299,997.00
• Congratulations! Prasham H. Maniar, defended his M.S. thesis, June, 28, 2019.
• Congratulations! to Dr. Jaydip Desai (PI), Dr. Yimesker Yihun (Co-PI), and Dr. James Steck (Co-PI), for the research grant from Kansas NASA EPSCoR, for their research on the “Development of a Neuro-Virtual Interface System to Evaluate Astronauts’ Cognitive Performance  in Space”. The total funding including the matching fund from WSU ($56,144)  is $183,744.
• Homar and Bridget have participated in the 2019 WSU annual Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects (GRASP) symposium. Homar has extended his ME 737 (Robotics and Control) course project; Bridget has presented part of her MSc  thesis work.                                                                                                                                              
• Robotics and Control Lab hosts Maize high school students through a community outreach activity, April 19, 2019. 

• Jing Wei Tan presented his undergraduate research at the 2019  Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum (URCAF), Wichita State University, 04/19/2019. His research topic is "FMG Driven Sensory Feedback to Prosthetic Hand Users".

• Congratulations! to AmirHossein MajidiRad for getting his paper accepted in the IEEE,  41^st International Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC), to be held in Berlin, Germany from July 23–27, 2019 . 04/10/2019.
• Congratulations! to AmirHossein MajidiRad for getting his two conference papers accepted in the ASME 2019 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE 2019), 04/08/2019.
• Congratulations! to Dr. Yihun, he received  $ 4000 Award for Research/Creative projects (ARC)  from the State of Kansas, for his project on "Bioinspired, Adaptive, Anti-Aging Muscle Strength Booster Exoskeleton for Knee Rehabilitation", April 5-2019.
• Dr. Yihun has recived $1450 fellowship to attend the 2019 KEEN National Conference, in Dallas, Jan 03-05, 2019.

2018

• Congratulations! Ujjeev Joel Koripalli, defended his M.S. thesis, July 2018.

• AmirHossein MajidiRad presented his work at the 40th International Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC), held in Honolulu, Hawaii from July 17-21, 2018 (https://www.lylephotos.com/p379532395). Amir was also serving as a session co-chair.                                                                                                                                                                            
• Robotics and Control (ME737) course project presentation on 05/01/2018 and 05/03/2018, Time: 9:30-10:45 am Place: Eng.B 202, the presentation is open to the public; click here for the projects abstract.
• Congratulations! to Gaminda Withanachchi, for his Undergraduate Student Research and
  Creative Activity Grant,“Embedded System and Machine Learning to Implement Force Myography Signal-Based Hand Gesture Classification to a Prosthetic Hand.” 04/27/2018, $1,000.00
• Congratulations! to Sai Rohith for his Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Activity Grant,“Development of Insect type Robots with Bio-Inspired Leg Mechanism and Control system for Surveillance Applications.” 04/23/2018, $1,000.00
• Pankaja, presented his work at the 2018 ASME, Design of Medical Devices Conference, Medical Devices Center, University of Minnesota.
• Visharath Adhikari, presented his work at the 2018 ASME, Design of Medical Devices Conference, Medical Devices Center, University of Minnesota.              
• Dr. Yihun gave a talk as a part of Mechanical Engineering Graduate Seminar Series from 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, in 126 Clinton Hall. Yihun's talk is titled "Human-Kinematics Driven Exoskeletons.'
•  Dr. Yihun recived  the KEEN Innovating Curriculum with Entrepreneurial Mindset (ICE) grant ($3,250) to attend the training and develop and implement EML activities into the courses. in Dallas, Jan 04-06, 2018.

2017

• Congratulations! Visharath Adhikari, defended his M.S. thesis, Nov 2017
• Congratulations! Nguon Ha, defended his M.S. thesis, Nov 2017
• Congratulations! Pedro Figueroa Reymundo, defended his M.S. thesis, Nov 2017
• Sarah Eck presented her work at the 2017 ASEE Midwest Section Conference in Stillwater, OK, Sept. 24-26, 2017.
• Robotics and Control Lab has provided lab tours for high school students and their parents at the Innovation in Action event, 09/16/2017.                                                   
• AmirHossein MajidiRad presented his work at the ASME 2017 International Design Engineering Technical Conference and the Computer and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE), Cleveland, Ohio, USA, August 6 - 9, 2017
• Congratulations! to AmirHossein MajidiRad, he recived ASME conference travel award, $450.00.
• Congratulations! to Sai Rohith for his Undergraduate Student Research Grant from the College of Engineering, Wichita state University, "Development of Bio-Inspired Segmented Body and Leg Mechanisms for Insect-Type Robots", 06/12/2017, $3,620.00
• AmirHossein MajidiRad presented his work at the 13th Annual Symposium
  on Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects, WSU, April 28, 2017
• Congratulations! to Dr. Chen and Dr. Yihun for the Multidisciplineary Research Project Award (MURPA), "Investigating the Dielectric Elastomer Artificial Muscle for Exoskeleton Application", Wichita State University, Jan 1, 2017-May 30, 2017, $7,500.

2016

• Carter Duling presented his work at the 2016 ASEE Midwest Section Conference, Sept 25-27, 2016, Hilton Garden Inn Manhattan, Kansas.
• Brad Newby presented his work at the ASME 2016 International Design Engineering Technical Conference and the Computer and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE), Charlotte, United States, August 21 - 24, 2016
• Matthew Ahlstedt presented his work at the ASME 2016 International Design Engineering Technical Conference and the Computer and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE), Charlotte, United States, August 21 - 24, 2016.
• Jose Esquivel presented his work at the McNair Scholar Program 21st Annual Closing
  Symposium, Aug 2016.
• Congratulations! to Mr. Matthew Ahlstedt for the Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Activity Grant for his research on "Design and Control of a 5 DOF Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm” $1,000.00, 2016-03-22
• Congratulations! to Mr. Jose Esquivel for the Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Activity Grant for his research on " Design of a Hand Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation” $1,000.00, 2016-03-22
• Congratulations! to Mr. Carter Duling, for the Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Activity Grant for his research project on "Wheelchair Mounted Robotic Arm Machining and Assembly” $1,000.00, 2016-03-22

2015

• Congratulations! to Dr. Yihun, he received University Research/Creative Project (URCA) Award of amount $4500 from the State of Kansas, for his project on "Design of an Innovative Modular Foldable Mechanized Windshield Cover", Nov-2015.
• Congratulations! to Jose Esquivel, for the ”Prosthetic Hand Design and Testing”, Undergraduate McNair Scholars Research Grant, $3,000, Wichita State University, October 2015.
• In Aug 2015, Dr. Yihun transitioned to an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at WSU.

2014

• Dr. Yihun joined WSU, Mechanical Engineering Department as an Engineering Educator in Aug 2014.