About me

I’m a PhD student working with Dr. Marc Killpack in the Robotics and Dynamics Laboratory at Brigham Young University. My research interests lie at the intersection of model predictive control, adaptive control, and machine learning – specifically applied to soft or compliant robots. My PhD work is focused on modeling, planning, and control for whole body manipulation with soft robots. I’m developing control and planning algorithms for autonomous whole-body manipulation of objects that cannot be grasped with an end effector.

Onboard sensory feedback like tactile sensing, vision, and pressure sensing are crucial for these algorithms to work. While algorithms and autonomous intelligence are exciting, I also enjoy working with hardware – I believe the field of robotics is best served by working with both. I’ve been building a soft robotic torso equipped with distributed tactile sensors to test out the whole body manipulation algorithms I’m developing.

I’m excited for opportunities to develop robots of any shape or size that augment human capabilites and improve quality of life.