Advancement in manufacturing, as reflected in the continually improved precision of machines and quality of products, depends on sustained fundamental research in sensing and computational intelligence to assess machine operations in-situ, detect inception and progression of structural defects, diagnos root cause of the defects, and predict remaining service life of the machine. This seminar highlights research in the areas of process-embedded sensing, acoustic-based wireless data transmission, and computational methods for improving the observability of manufacturing processes, using polymer injection molding and sheet metal microrolling as examples. The seminar highlights the potential of integrating sensing and advanced analytics for advancing the science base and state-of-technology in manufacturing.

Robert Gao is the Pratt & Whitney Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Connecticut (UConn) and founding member of the Pratt & Whitney Center of Excellence for Sensing, Control, and Diagnostics of Propulsion Systems. Since receiving his Ph.D. from the Technical University of Berlin Germany, in 1991, he has been working in the areas of physics-based sensing methodologies, smart structures and materials, energy harvesting, multi-resolution signal analysis, wireless communication, and energy-efficient sensor networks. He is an author of two books and over 290 refereed technical papers, holds 5 patents, and has graduated over 30 Ph.D. and M.S. students. He has been an active participant in major national research initiatives involving multiple universities such as NSF’s Emerging Frontier in Research and Innovation (EFRI), Cyber Physical Systems (CPS), Sensors and Sensor Networks, and NIH’s Genes, Environment, and Health Initiative.

Prof. Gao is currently an Associate Editor for the ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering and IFAC Journal of Mechatronics. He is a Fellow of the IEEE, ASME, and SME, Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society, elected associate member of the International Academy of Production Engineering (CIRP), and elected member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE). He received the 2013 Technical Award from the IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society.