Latest News

2024- Awarded as a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy (UK HEA) as a reflection on excellent teaching practice and evidence-based examples particularly in the examples of working with international students!

2024- Two Abstracts got Accepted in the 17th IMarEST International Naval Engineering Conference and Exhibition, incorporating the International Ship Control Systems Symposium (INEC/iSCSS 2024). Link!

2024- Two Department Research and Innovation projects in the area of Autonomous Marine Systems amounting to 6k£ approved!

2023- Fifth Seminar of Research Seminar Series on Theme Engineering Innovations: Unveiling the Future at Sheffield Hallam University with the invited lecture from Dr. Riccardo Polvara of the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom titled 'Cultivating the Future: Mobile Robotics in Agriculture for Long-Term Planning' .Link!

2023- Fourth Seminar of Research Seminar Series on Theme Engineering Innovations: Unveiling the Future at Sheffield Hallam University with the invited lecture from Dr. Carlos Toro of NTT Data titled 'Digital Twins: The Hype is Real' .Link!

2023- Third Seminar of Research Seminar Series on Theme Engineering Innovations: Unveiling the Future at Sheffield Hallam University with the invited lecture from Dr. Ramviyas Parasuraman of the University of Georgia titled 'Collaborative Localization of Mobile Robots using Wireless Signals '.Link!

2023- Second Seminar of Research Seminar Series on Theme Engineering Innovations: Unveiling the Future at Sheffield Hallam University with the invited lecture from Dr Geoff Hollinger of Oregon State University titled 'Decision Making for Marine Robots '.Link!

2023- Paper titled 'Towards a modular unmanned underwater vehicle' accepted in the National Congress of R&D in Defense and Security (DESEi+d 2023), which will take place at the Marine Infantry School “General Albacete y Fuster” (EIMGAF), located in Cartagena, Spain during November 14, 15 and 16, 2023 .Link!

2023- Commencement of Research Seminar Series on Theme Engineering Innovations: Unveiling the Future at Sheffield Hallam University with the invited lecture from Dr Byung Cheol Min of Purdue University titled 'Integrating Human Intelligence into Robot Learning '.Link!

2023- Accepted presentation in the Teaching, Learning & Assessment Conference 2023 at Sheffield Hallam University titled Towards Digital Learning with ROS for Robotics using ‘The Construct’ organised on the theme 'Developing Digital Pedagogies and Practice'.Link!

2023- Invited to present a Research Seminar on the topic ‘Autonomy 4.0: A Control, Automation and Systems Engineering Perspective’ to the wider Department of Engineering and Mathematics at Sheffield Hallam University in the ongoing department research seminar series Link! on 'Control Engineering Advancements and Applications' in April 2023.

2023- Joined as an Assistant Professor in Automation, Control, and Systems Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom from Hilary Term 2023.

2022- New Paper Published in area of USV Control: Link!

Research Interests

My main research areas are Autonomous Shipping and Autonomous Marine Systems with a special focus on Industry4.0 and Maritime4.0 applications. I aspire to contribute to finding solutions to pertinent challenges of autonomous and connected systems i.e. How to enable various forms of autonomy in a dynamic environment? How to improve efficiency & safety of autonomous systems in a complex scenario? through the development of novel decision tools in the simulation framework validated by experiments. To do so, my approach combines theory, simulations and experiments under one broader horizon of design, prototyping and experiments with robots .

Education

  • 2024 : Post Graduate Certification in Teaching & Learning (Experiential Route)

    Status: Fellow of UK Higher Education Academy
    Sheffield Hallam University
    United Kingdom

  • 2015-2019 : PhD (Mechanical Engineering)

    Thesis Title: Cooperative Swarm Optimisation of Unmanned Surface Vehicles (Thesis Link)
    Autonomous Marine Systems (AMS) Research Group
    School of Engineering
    University of Plymouth
    United Kingdom

  • 2017 : Post Graduate Certification in Teaching & Learning (Course /Teaching Route)

    Status: Associate Fellow of UK Higher Education Academy
    University of Plymouth
    United Kingdom

  • 2012-2015 : Master of Science (By Research)

    Thesis Title: Design and Development of a Laboratory Underwater Glider (Thesis Link)
    Department of Ocean Engineering
    Indian Institute of Technology- Madras, Chennai
    India


  • 2006-2010 : Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech)- Mechanical Engineering

    School of Mechanical Engineering
    SRM University, Chennai
    India

    • Experience

  • 2023-Present : Lecturer(Assistant Professor) in Automation, Control and Systems Engineering

    Role: Teaching, Research and External Academic Engagement (Electrical, Electronics and Future Technologies Subject Group)
    Department of Engineering and Mathematics
    Sheffield Hallam University
    United Kingdom


  • 2020-2022 : Post Doctoral Research Expert

    Role: Lead Coordinator and Manager for Research Track of "Self Configuring Assembly Systems"
    Industrial Systems Engineering (ISyE) Research Group
    Gent University
    Belgium


  • 2020 : Post Doctoral Research Associate

    Role: Lead Researcher for the "Autonomous Inland Shipping" Projects
    Intelligent Mobile Platform (IMP) Research Group
    KU Leuven
    Belgium


  • 2019 : Post Doctoral Research Associate

    Role: Lead Researcher for the "Robotic Sediment Sampling" Project (Project Webpage)
    Smart Machine and Assistive Robotics Technology (SMART) Research Group
    Purdue University
    United States of America


  • 2011-2012 : Project Assistant

    Role: Project Staff for the "Design of Experimental Setup for Electro Discharge Diamond Grinding" Project
    Department of Mechanical Engineering
    Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology- Allahabad
    India


  • 2010-2011 : Project Associate

    Role: Project Staff for the "Synthetic Jet for Underwater Vehicle Propulsion & Manoeuvering" Project
    Department of Mechanical Engineering
    Indian Insititute of Technology- Kanpur
    India

    • Projects

    Internal Projects (Running)

  • 2024-Present : Sheffield Hallam Internal Project (United Kingdom): Design and Development of an Autonomous Marine Vessel

    Funding Body: Sheffield Hallam University
    Role: PI
    Status: Running
    Project Partners: Sheffield Hallam University
    Amount: ~3K£

  • 2024-Present : Sheffield Hallam Internal Project (United Kingdom): Towards design and development of a Marine Robotics Unity Simulator (MARUS) using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool

    Funding Body: Sheffield Hallam University
    Role: PI
    Status: Running
    Project Partners: Sheffield Hallam University
    Amount: ~3K£

    Regional Industrial Projects

  • 2020-2022 : Regional Basic Research Project (Belgium): Decision Framework for Assembly System Reconfiguration (SBO Assembly Recon)

    Funding Body: VLAIO (Vlaams Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen)- Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship
    Role: Co-Coordinator from Industrial Systems Engineering (ISyE) Research Group
    Status: Completed
    Project Partners: ROB-KU Leuven, FlandersMake (ProductionS, CodesignS)
    Amount: ~2.7 M$

  • 2020-2022 : Regional Applied Research Project (Belgium): Predictive Optimised Supply Chains (ICON POSH)

    Funding Body: VIL (Vlaams Innoveren Logistics)- Flanders Innovation for Logistics
    Role: Co-Coordinator from Industrial Systems Engineering (ISyE) Research Group
    Status: Completed
    Project Partners: VIL, IMEC-ID Lab (Research Partners); Boltzman, Faktion, GIS and Solvice (Industrial Partners)
    Amount: ~1.6 M$

  • 2020 : Regional Applied Research Project (Belgium): Shared Situational Awareness for Marine Vessels (ICON SSAVe)

    Funding Body: VLAIO (Vlaams Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen)- Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship
    Role: Lead Researcher from Intelligent Mobile Platforms(IMP) Research Group
    Status: Completed
    Project Partners: ROB-KU Leuven, Royal Military Academy(RMA), IMEC-ID Lab (Research Partners); Tresco, dotOcean & DEME (Industrial Partners)
    Amount: ~1.6 M$

  • 2012-2015 : National Applied Research Project (India): Design and Development of a Laboratory Underwater Glider

    Funding Body: Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), India
    Role: Researcher at Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras
    Status: Completed
    Project Partners: Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras
    Amount: ~4K$

    MS

    Figure: CFD Study, hydrodynamical modelling and experimental validation of the designed laboratory underwater glider

    International Projects

  • 2020 : International Applied Research Project (Europe): EGNSS Hull-to-Hull (H2H)

    Funding Body: Horizon 2020 European Union
    Role: Co-Researcher from Intelligent Mobile Platforms(IMP) Research Group
    Status: Completed
    Project Partners: Sintef Ocean AS, Sintef AS(Research Partners); Konsberg Seatex AS, Mampaey Offshore Industries AS (Industrial Partners)
    Amount: ~3.5 M$



    Development of a safer and more efficient navigation aid on the accuracy and safety performance of shore-based ship handlers to improve their situational awareness (Source: IMP)



  • 2019 : International Applied Research Project (USA): Purdue-UNSA Robotic Water Quality Monitoring and Distribution Systems

    Funding Body: Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa (UNSA), Peru and Government of Peru
    Role: Lead Researcher & Coordinator from SMART Research Group
    Status: Completed
    Project Partners: UNSA & Purdue University
    Amount: ~365K$



    Testing and Validation of developed underwater sediment sampling approach using an unmanned surface vehicle and a Van-Veen Grab sampler for agricultural waterbodies in Peruvian highlands (Source: SMART Lab)



  • 2015-2019 : International Applied Research Project (UK): Cooperative Swarm Optimisation of Unmanned Surface Vehicles

    Funding Body: Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom
    Role: PhD Researcher from Autonomous Marine Systems (AMS) Research Group
    Status: Completed
    Project Partners: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) and University of Plymouth
    Amount: ~80K$

    PhD

    Figure: Hybrid framework for the cooperative navigation of a swarm of ASVs to enable optimal and autonomous operation in a practical maritime environment.

    • Teaching

    United Kingdom- University of Plymouth (Overall Teaching Hours:160)

    Course Name Duration and Target Students Roles and Responsibilities
    Fundamentals of Robotic Manipulators
  • Contract Hours: 32
  • Sep. 2018 - Nov. 2018
    • (Post Graduate)- MEng Mechanical Engineering, MEng Mechanical Engineering with Composites, and MEng Marine Technology (Class Size > 30)     		Role: Demonstrator and Lecturer
  • Taught offline and online programming on Mitsubishi industrial robotic manipulators (Mitsubishi RV-2AJ and RV-2SD).
  • Assessed student project proposals for final year dissertation.
  • Evaluated students performance based on the driving test of the Mitsubishi robotic manipulators.
  • Provided brief introduction about marine robots and their application in the current world through a 2 hours lecture.
    • Robotics and Control Theory
  • Contract Hours: 32
  • Nov. 2017 - Jan. 2018
    • (Post Graduate)- MEng Mechanical Engineering, MEng Mechanical Engineering with Composites, and MEng Marine Technology (Class Size > 30)     		Role: Demonstrator
  • Taught offline and online programming on Mitsubishi industrial robotic manipulators (Mitsubishi RV-2AJ and RV-2SD).
  • Developed teaching modules (i.e lab manuals & packages) for development of industrial assembly in 3D simulation software 3D Automate.
  • Evaluated students performance based on submitted simulations towards module.
    • Introduction to Robotics
  • Contract Hours: 32
  • Mar. 2017 - Jun. 2017
    • (Undergraduate and Post Graduate)- MEng (Hons) Robotics and BEng (Hons) Robotics (Class Size > 30)     		Role: Demonstrator
  • Taught offline and online programming on Mitsubishi industrial robotic manipulators (Mitsubishi RV-2AJ and RV-2SD).
  • Developed teaching modules (i.e lab manuals & packages) for development of industrial assembly in 3D simulation software Visual Component4.0.
  • Evaluated student's performance based on submitted simulations towards the module.
    • Basic Electrical Principles
  • Contract Hours: 20
  • Jun. 2017
    • (Undergraduate)- BEng Mechanical and Marine (Class Size > 70)     		Role: Teaching Assistant
  • Evaluated students marking with a specified answer key provided by the module leader.
    		•
    Robotics and Control Theory
  • Contract Hours: 32
  • Nov. 2016 - Jan. 2017
    • (Post Graduate)- MEng Mechanical Engineering, MEng Mechanical Engineering with Composites, and MEng Marine Technology (Class Size > 30)     		Role: Demonstrator
  • Taught offline and online programming on Mitsubishi industrial robotic manipulators (Mitsubishi RV-2AJ and RV-2SD).
  • Developed teaching modules (i.e lab manuals & packages) for development of industrial assembly in 3D simulation software Visual Component4.0.
  • Evaluated student's performance based on submitted simulations towards the module.

    • Sheffield Hallam University (Overall Teaching Hours:1900)

    Course Name Duration and Target Students Roles and Responsibilities
    Industrial Automation
  • Contract Hours: 24
  • Jan. 2024- Present
    • (Postgraduate) Level 7- MSc Automation, Control and Robotics (Class Size: 100)     		Role: Module Leader, Lecturer and Instructor
  • Fundamental knowledge of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Software; Interfacing with PLC; Simulation of PLC application in SCADA.
  • Fundamental knowledge of Manufacturing systems, cellular manufacturing and conveyor systems.
  • Fundamental knowledge of Fault detection and diagnosis of industrial automation systems.
  • Basic understanding of ladder logic and programming of PLCs.
    • Mechatronics and Automated Systems
  • Contract Hours: 116
  • Sep 2023- Present
    • (Undergraduate) Level 5- Mechanical Engineering (Class Size: 86)     		Role: Module Leader
  • Design and develop mechatronic systems which include the control and integration of electro-mechanical systems
  • Principles of mechatronics in defining and resolving problems in electro-mechanical, robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing systems
  • Assessment of students performance based on submitted mechatronics design coursework and individual report
  • Formative and Summative Feedback provided in the written form of (i) marked submissions and (ii) a synoptic digest of responses published over the module BlackBoard site.
    • Control of Linear Systems
  • Contract Hours: 116
  • Sep. 2023- Jan. 2024
    • (Postgraduate) Level 7- MSc Automation, Control and Robotics (Class Size: 100)     		Role: Module Leader
  • Modelling, analysing and designing of linear control systems in time and frequency domains as well as digital systems
  • Assessment of students' performance based on submitted coursework, simulations and final exam.
  • Formative and Summative Feedback provided in the written form of (i) marked submissions and (ii) a synoptic digest of responses published over the module BlackBoard site.
    • Control and Instrumentation for Aerospace
  • Contract Hours: 12
  • Jan. 2023 - May 2023
    • (Undergraduate) Level 5- BSc Aerospace - Second Year Students (Class Size: 50)     		Role: Instructor, Lecturer and Module Co-Lead
  • Taught Mathematical Modelling and Analysis of Electromechanical Systems typically used in aircraft control systems, using simulation tools MATLAB and SIMULINK.
  • Analysis of SISO systems and feedback control to improve performance.
  • Evaluated student's performance based on submitted coursework, simulations and final exam.
  • Feedback provided in the written form of (i) marked submissions and (ii) a synoptic digest of responses published over the module BlackBoard site.
    • Advanced Control Methods
  • Contract Hours: 48
  • Feb. 2023 - May 2023; Jan. 2024- Present
    • (Post Graduate)- Level 7- MSC Automation, Control and Robotics (Class Size: 80)     		Role: Instructor, Lecturer and Module Co-Lead
  • Design optimal controllers and self-tuning or adaptive controllers for plants with uncertain or changing dynamics (Nonlinear systems – characteristics and causes of nonlinearity. Linearisation of single-input-singleoutput and multivariable systems, stability analysis techniques such as describing function approach).
  • Implement advanced optimisation techniques for solving various (e.g. non-convex) optimisation problems.(Advanced optimisation methods - dynamic programming and genetic algorithms)
  • Evaluated student's performance based on final exams contributing 60% of the overall assessment weightage.
    • Advanced Railway Engineering
  • Contract Hours: 12
  • March 2023 - April 2023
    • (Post Graduate)- Level 6- Work Apprenticeship (Class Size: 18)     		Role: Lecturer and Instructor
  • Introduction to Modelling by Experiments and PID Control.
  • Lab Experiments with Water Level Management in Water Tanks using concepts from Modelling by Experiments and PID Control
  • Exam based student assessment

    • Student Guidance

    PhD
    Role: Second Supervisor
    2024 (Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom): Benjamin Maduka Ilo (Thesis Title: Quality Assessment and Process Optimization of Rice Milling using Artificial Intelligence Technologies)

    Masters Thesis
    Role: Advisor
    2023 (Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom): VS Babu (Graduated)- Path Planning for Mobile Robots using Evolutionary Algorithms; NR Janga (Graduated)- Trajectory Planning and Control of an Underwater Robot; D Teketi (Graduated) - Transmission Stability for generators using PID control; T. Aiyelari (Graduated; Ongoing as RA) - Path Following Experiments with Small Autonomous Marine Vehicles; IA Obia (Graduated; Ongoing as Special Visiting Lecturer) - MPC-based Automatic Flow Control System for Water level in a Water Tank; S Sangar (Graduated; Ongoing as RA)- MARUS-based PID Control of Marine Autonomous Surface Ships
    Role: Co-Advisor
    2020 (KU Leuven, Belgium): Luk Leemans (Graduated) & Yentl Michels (Graduated; Pursuing second masters at KU Leuven, Belgium)
  • Thesis Title: Design, Build and Installation of a Bow Thruster on 1/25 scale model of a Water truck + Self-Propelling Barge

    • This thesis aimed to design, build and install a bow thruster on a 1/25 scale model of a Watertruck+ self-propelling barge. The CAD model was validated with Bifilar experiments followed by outdoor experiments for different path following scenarios.

    Hendrik

    Bifilar Pendulum Test to determine Moment of Inertia

    Path following experiment using a remote control for a straight line scenario



    PhD Students
    Role: Mentoring
    2019 (Purdue University): Dr. Tamzidul Mina (Graduated; Currently working at Sandia NL- USA), Shyam Sundar Kannan (Pursuing), Dr. Jun Han Bae(Graduated; First Position: Postdoc at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Now: Assistant Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology) and Dr Shaocheng Luo (Graduated; First Position: Postdoc at University of Alberta, Canada; Now: Postdoc at Duke University, USA)

    A Multi-USV framework for Navigation and Guidance of USVs was developed with Dr. Tamzidul Mina selected for IEEE OES Student Poster Competition (20 abstracts selected globally) with the award of Student Travel Grant to present the work in IEEE OCEANS 2019 Seattle (Source: SMART Lab)



    A conceptual framework for monitoring the oil spill in harbours was developed with Dr. Shaocheng Luo using concepts of coverage path planning and remote sensing technology and work was presented in IEEE OCEANS 2019 Seattle (Source: SMART Lab)

    OilSpill

    Bachelor Students
    Role: Mentoring
    2019 (Purdue University): Pou Hei Chan (Pursuing) and Yuta Haoshi (Graduated; Currently a master's student at Carnegie Mellon University, USA)
    Role: Advisor
    2023 (Sheffield Hallam University): 3 Undergraduate Students from Mechanical Engineering

    Administrative Duties

    Academic Year 2022-2023
    Role: Academic Advisor for 35 students

    Role: Work Experience Mentor for 9 students

    Role: Open Day Coordinator- Robotics & Control Lab

    Role: Second Examiner - 2 MSc Thesis
    Academic Year 2023-2024
    Role: Academic Advisor for 30 students

    Role: Work Experience Mentor for 11 students

    Role: Open Day Coordinator for UG and PG Program- Robotics & Control Lab

    Role: Rapporteur - 1 PhD Student

    Research Groups Affiliation

    Publications

    Most Cited Publications

  • Singh, Y., Bibuli, M., Zereik, E., Sharma, S., Khan, A. and Sutton, R., 2020. A novel double-layered hybrid multi-robot framework for guidance and navigation of unmanned surface vehicles in a practical maritime environment. Journal of Marine science and Engineering, 8(9), p.624. DOI


  • Singh, Y., Sharma, S., Sutton, R., Hatton, D. and Khan, A., 2018. A constrained A* approach towards optimal path planning for an unmanned surface vehicle in a maritime environment containing dynamic obstacles and ocean currents. Ocean Engineering, 169, pp.187-201. DOI


  • Singh, Y., Bhattacharyya, S.K. and Idichandy, V.G., 2017. CFD approach to modelling, hydrodynamic analysis and motion characteristics of a laboratory underwater glider with experimental results. Journal of Ocean Engineering and Science, 2(2), pp.90-119. DOI


    • All my publications and their research impact can be found on: Google Scholar

    Contact

    I am always looking forward to collaborations, joint publications and joint project submissions on maritime challenges of the future within European and International funding calls. You can send your initial thoughts here and we can take it further from this point for a fruitful endpoint:

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