Nishanth Rajkumar
My Portfolio
Industry 4.0 | Mechatronics | ROS | Control Systems
I, Nishanth, am pursuing my Thesis-based Masters at Concordia University working on research titled "Design and Control of Autonomous Robot for Terrain Exploration". My research interests are Product Development, Developing Control Systems with Mathematical Models that involve Kinematics and Dynamics, Design optimizations, Design of machines and mechanisms, Manufacturing and Assembly, and Lean Manufacturing. I am aiming to become an entrepreneur in the field of Manufacturing and assembly in robotics. I would like to have some interesting conversations with people who endeavor to achieve in the above-mentioned fields.
I have extensive CAD modelling experience in a variety of software packages such as Catia, SolidWorks, and Fusion 360. I have gained extensive proficiency in simulation tools such as Matlab and MSc Adams for predicting various behaviours of a model with respect to its environment. In the subject of computation in mechatronic models and other structural models, I've worked on a number of projects of both academic research and industrial nature.
My skills and capabilities led to a few excellent opportunities such as industrial collaborations and research internships being bestowed on me. Two research internships had been performed at industries in India, and a further one is to be undergone at the University of Alberta, sponsored by Mitacs. I had also completed an in-plant training programme focused on mechatronics. All the aforementioned opportunities that I had experienced in my career have broadened my interests in the fields of Mechatronics.
Core Skillsets:
- Advanced Manufacturing & Prototyping
- Mastery of Perception & Control Systems
- Product Development Specialist
- Embedded Systems Engineering
Education
Concordia University - Quebec, Canada
Research-based Graduate Studies
Masters of Applied Sciences - Robotics and Automation
Primary focus on Industrial Automation, Microprocessors and its Applications and Design of Industrial Control Systems
Sep'22 - Present
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Vellore Institute of Technology - Chennai, India
Undergraduate Studies
Mechanical Engineer- School of Mechanical Engineering (SMEC)
Primary focus on Designing and Simulation, Mechatronics and Artificial Intelligence.
Jul'18 - Apr'22
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Maharishi International Residential Sriperumbudur, India
School
Computer Science- CBSE
Computer Science, Physics, Maths, Chemistry
Jun'04 - Mar'18
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Skillset
Tools and Libraries
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Programming Languages
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Experience
Concordia University and Polytechnique Montreal Canada
Research Assistant in Centre of Mechatronics and Automation
- Research Work: Development of a Fully Autonomous Mobile Robot for Domestic Lawn Weed Retrieval using ROS framework
- Emerging researcher in mobile robotics through NSERC CREATE SMART-ART Program with a passion for delivering impactful research to advance the field.
- Supervised by Dr. Wen-Fang Xie and Dr. Abolfazl Mohebbi
- Presentations
Jan'23 - Present
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Combat Vehicles R&D Establishment, DRDO, Ministry of Defense Chennai
Research Intern
- Designed a mechanical and a mathematical model for a robotic arm that follows a set of sequential operations to retrieve a jammed ammunition from a machine gun
- Supervised by Dr.Babu, Scientist F, DRDO, Chennai
- Thesis Report
Nov'21 - Apr'21
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UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA Canada
Globalink Research Intern
- Brain Controlled Robot for differently-abled and elderly to enhance Neural Thinking - Developed drone technology using specialized mathematical models to aid in the rehabilitation of patients with special abilities
- Supervised by Prof. Kim Adams director of Assistive Technology Lab, University of Alberta.
- Award Letter
July'21-Sep'21
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PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION CONSULTANCY, ASME AUTHORIZED Chennai, India
Summer Research Intern
- Good hands on work experience and involves in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) as per ASME section VIII Div. Part 5 (Numerical analysis) of pressure vessel for Plastic collapse (Plastic Elastic analysis) and FE analysis for API 653 above ground storage tank including wind and seismic analysis.
- Supervised by Dr.Davidson Jebaseelan, Associate Professor of VIT University
- Few publications have been done with the company's guidance can be found here.
May'21 - July'21
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PRECIMECH COMPONENTS AND COMPANY Chennai, India
RESEARCH INTERN
- Various parts for an unmanned ground-vehicle are designed, engineered, manufactured and assembled with its required electronic sensors for agricultural uses
- Different types of optimizations were done in order to remove unnecessary weights across the whole frame
- Awarded as the best design engineer among all the other interns
- Report
Aug'19 - Feb'20
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HI-TECH INDUSTRIES Chennai, India
INDUSTRIAL INTERN
- Undergone a technical internship on various machining processes using different milling centre’s and also gained detailed knowledge of designing and analysis using CATIA and ANSYS.
- Gained a deep knowledge on analyzing different structures being manufactured.
- Report | Certificate
Jun'20 - Jul'20
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VISHAY PRECISION GROUP Chennai, India
INPLANT TRAINEE
- Undertook various tasks which include designing and machining components in a multi-national company based on resistive foil technology sensors.
- Gained a deep knowledge on hands-on machining experience and programming different types of CNC’s
- Report | Certificate
May'19 - Jun'19
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Atom Robotics Chennai, India
CO-FOUNDER AND TEAM LEAD
- An Intelligent Robotics and Satellite exploration team consisting of 50+ aspiring young minds.
- The team focuses on Intelligent ground vehicles targeting IGVC, USA; Planetary Aerial System using VTOLS targeting IPAS, Mars society South Asia (MSSA); Satellites targeting Can-Sat, USA.
- Won more than 20 awards to date.
- Report | Team Website
Jan'19 - May'22'
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Publications and Patents
IPO, Office of the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks
Robotic Arm System for Retrieval of Ammunition from Machine Gun - Indian Patent Office (Submitted)
- Project Report
- This project has provided a comprehensive documentation of a specialised 7-DOF robotic arm system, right from the conceptualization and design up to simulation and analysis of its motion in the scope of kinematics and dynamics.
- The system has been completely modelled towards performing the multitude of operations in sequence, as entailed by the safe retrieval process of ammunition from a heavy machine gun.
- It is postulated that this project presents a viable solution towards the problem statement posed by the Ministry of Defence, India.
- A patent for this robotic arm system has been drafted under the guidance of CVRDE scientists, and is currently put up for approval.
- Supervised by Dr. Babu, Scientist F, CVRDE, Defence Research and Development Organisation
IRMAS 2021 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Generative design optimization and analysis of connecting rod for weight reduction and performance enhancement – IOP Conference Proceedings: Journal of Physics
See Publication
- The research accentuates to explore designing the connecting rod using Generative design tools.
- A Connecting rod is designed using Autodesk generative design embedded in Fusion 360.
- The simulation results such as static stress-strain and displacement results of additive manufactured connecting rod are compared with a conventional BAJAJ 110cc connecting rod.
- The generative designed frame has minimum displacement compared to traditional designed connecting rod.
- Supervised by Dr. Radha R, Professor, VIT Chennai
SESBT 2021 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Computational Study of Fire Water Storage Tanks due to Seismic Loading
See Publication
- A finite element modelling of a storage tank is done with uniform settlement condition and its governing hoop stress at shell plate is studied under different loading conditions.
- The overall the simulation results are carried out using different seismic conditions that provides level of confidence for user or owner construct tanks in various regions of India and predict the safety of the model.
ELSEVIER JOURNAL OF PRESSURE VESSELS AND PIPING
Numerical analysis of above ground storage tanks with different settlement conditions
Under Review
- This study was conducted with the finite element analysis on a tank with construction code IS2062 Gr B.
- Evaluation of the structural integrity of thin walled storage tank with anchored base subjected to seismic ground excitation and different planar settlement conditions considering different plate thickness due to corrosion.
- Supervised by Dr. Davidson Jebaseelan, Professor, VIT Chennai
PRIME 2021 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PROGRESSIVE RESEARCH IN INDUSTRIAL & MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
A Performance Characteristics Review of Mahua Biodiesel in CI Engines
Under Review
- This paper focus on the biodiesel obtained from processing a certain species of plant known as Madhuca Indica (Mahua). This species is widely found growing in parts of India and has immense prosperity towards our goal of a cleaner environment.
- This research work aims to provide adequate information on Mahua bio-fuel to researchers, engineers, and policymakers to induce the idea of using Mahua as an alternative fuel.
ELSEVIER Journal of Computational Materials Science
Numerical Analysis of Composite Planetary Gear Set
Under Review
- The structural stability of a set of gears consisting of sun, planet, and ring gears was evaluated using finite element analysis on a composite planetary gear set utilised in the Tesla model.
- The composite planetary gear system showed better results as compared to the gears made of structural steel.
ELSEVIER Journal of Measurement
Fault Diagnosis of an All-Terrain Vehicle Gearbox System using Statistical Features and Advanced Classifier Methods
Under Review
- In this paper, a Briggs and Stratton Model 19 Engine (7.5HP) with the maximum speed of up to 3800 rpm coupled with the gear train assembly via a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is used and a few failure conditions have been taken into account.
- A GUI model is trained and built with reasonable accuracy by analyzing its vibration characteristics, thereby predicting various types of gearbox failure to avoid collapse.
- Using a piezoelectric transducer and a data collecting system, raw signals in the form of vibrations are collected from a gearbox test setup.
Professional Projects
Mapping the Terrain: Weed Removal Robot with Hector Mapping
- Hector Mapping is a popular Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm used in mobile robotics
- I have gained an understanding of how Hector Mapping utilizes log-likelihood estimation and scan matching methods to accurately estimate the robot's pose and create a map of the environment.
Design and Optimization of a Prosthetic Lower Limb with Kinematic Analysis
- Obtained an optimized design and stability analysis of a prosthetic lower limb consisting of four different parts: socket, a 4-bar optimized prosthetic knee, pylon, and foot for weight reduction and performance enhancement.
Optimized Control Architecture for a High-Performance Robotic Car Prototype
- Developed a prototype model of a four-wheeled robotic car with Ackermann steering mechanism, implementing optimized control algorithms using register-level programming.
- Designed and integrated advanced functionalities such as launch control, speed control, traction control, braking control, and line following control, resulting in superior performance and efficient program execution.
Robotic Duel: Computer Vision-Based Target Tracking and Laser Attack System
- Engineered a mobile robot with computer vision-based target tracking capabilities, utilizing a mounted camera and colored circle markers, enabling precise positioning and successful laser-based attacks on opponent robots
Design and Simulation of a Robotic Arm System for Safe Retrieval of Ammunition from Jammed Machine Gun
Stress Linearization of a Pressure Vessel and CFD Study due to External Wind Conditions
- A pressure vessel with different nozzles and flanges was designed according to their NPS (North American set of standard sizes for pipes).
- The pressure vessel was designed with a fixed and a sliding saddle. Different bending moments on the inside and outside of the supports were analyzed that occur due to the internal pressure and wind pressure with a speed of 45 m/s.
Design and Analysis of Single Clutch Plate
- Different parts of a single clutch plate such as the pilot bearing, clutch plate, pressure plate, clutch shaft, and helical springs were designed and assembled.
- This assembly was analyzed for different stresses, and a suitable material was chosen to minimize the stresses across the clutch plate.
Computational Fluid Dynamic study of OMEGA VTOL UAV – ATOM ROBOTICS
- An autonomous aerial planetary system designed for logistics and reconnaissance missions in the Mars environment by my team.
- Completely designed and tested from scratch considering the compatibility for flight in a Martian environment.
- A CFD study was done in order to find the critical or stalling angle of attack with the structural study to check the maximum stresses across different regions of the frame.
Ablution Assist for Elderly and Disabled
- Designed an advanced manual Rollator for elderly and disabled people, equipped with ArmRests and Cutouts, which will help them in their morning ablutions.
- The rollator can be pushed onto a lavatory, and the water supply can be connected through a hose in the given slot under the seat.
- Nozzles are added according to nozzle pipe size grades in order to supply a low-pressure water flow to high-pressure flow.
PERSONAL PROJECTS
RC Drone with aerial mapping
Developed an RC Drone with image processing capabilities, which tracks a person's motion and draws a bounding box throughout his motion.
Robust Chest X-Ray Detection architecture
Built a deep learning model, detecting 14 chest-related diseases with a dataset accrued from NIH. It was trained with the help of the Mobile Net pre-trained model and data augmentation.
Autonomous Stair Climbing Robot for delivery of packages
Upon placement of the payload, the robot will climb the stairs while carrying it. The process is automatic, once address and map of the place is given. The robot is best suited for urban environment.
Competition-Based Robots
Designed and built Intelligent Ground Vehicles, Planetary Aerial Systems, Can-Satellites, Law Following Robot, Sumo Robot, and Battle Bots with my team (Atom Robotics).
USHRIS: A Subaquatic Hybrid Inspection and Visual Reconstruction System
In this project, the Unmanned Subaquatic Hybrid Robotic Inspection System (USHRIS), a RIS that can detect the defects (cracks) along with the dimensional analysis of the defect for the ease of monitoring. The design of the system is as follows: The Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) will be connected via an umbilical to the Remotely Operating Underwater Vehicle (ROUV) which will monitor inside aquatic regions using camera, sonar and instruments as such.
Awards
Some of the most interesting awards out of 20 is shown below!
Click here to have a look into some of my other awards.
Click here to have a look into some of my other awards.
Concordia Entrance Award CAD 6000
Funded with CAD 6000 as a Special Entrance Award
Founder and Team-Lead ATOM ROBOTICS, VIT Chennai
Enthusiastic University chapter on intelligent robotics and satellite exploration focusing on intelligent ground vehicle
targeting IGVC, USA, planetary ariel systems, etc.
Mitacs Globalink Graduate Fund CAD 15000
for pursuing Master's programs in Canada by virtue of having done
an internship at the University of Alberta, Edmonton.
Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate and Additive Manufacturing Associate Dassault Systems
A Certified Additive Manufacturing Associate who has an intermediate knowledge of today’s 3D printing market.
Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Dassault Systems
Proven ability to design and analyze parametric parts and moveable assemblies using a variety of complex features in SOLIDWORKS software
4th Runner up ATMOS'19: BITS Pilani
Placed 4th in Law follower, Tech-Management Fest
Winner of Currents'20: ATMOS'19
NASA International Space Challenge
Winner of Kurukshetra'20- College of engineering, Anna university
Placed 1st in "Robozest"
Placed in top 100 teams Flipkart Grid 2.0
Placed as the 73rd team all over India in Round 1
