Software Engineering

AMIT KULKARNI

Home: **** **** ****** ******, *** 426, Austin, TX 78741

Office: Robotics Research Group, 1 University Station, R9925

University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-1100

Cell: 512-***-**** Office: 512-***-****

Email: *********@****.******.***

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

Mobile Manipulation, Software Engineering for Robotic Systems, Computational Geometry,

Motion Control and Automation, Hardware Integration, Human Robot Interaction, Kinematics

and Dynamics for Robots and Mechanisms

E DUCATION

Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Robotics Research Group (RRG), University of Texas

at Austin, Aug 2009 (Expected)

Dissertation Title: Task Based Redundancy Resolution for Mobile Manipulators

The PhD dissertation aims at developing an analytical and software framework for

operation of mobile manipulation systems. The components of the dissertation are: i) instant

center based analysis and synthesis of mobile platform motions, ii) development of the

kinematic and dynamic model for mobile manipulators, iii) a task based redundancy resolution

scheme for operation of the systems, and iv) tested development and experimental

implementations.

Supervisor: Dr. Delbert Tesar

M.Tech. (Design Engineering), Department of Applied Mechanics, Indian Institute of

Technology (IIT), Delhi, India, 2001

Thesis Title: Simulation of 3D Cracks Using Boundary Element Method

The thesis comprised of the development of software code for Computational Fracture

Mechanics in C++ using Boundary Element Method (BEM) as the computational tool. The BEM

solver was developed for analysis of three-dimensional cracks in materials.. The thesis was done

under DAAD1 fellowship in the Institute for Engineering Mechanics, Karlsruhe

University, Germany.

Supervisors: Dr.-Ing. Eckart Schnack, and Dr. C. V. Ramakrishnan

B.Engg. (First Class with Distinction) Mechanical Engineering, Dr. B. A. Marathwada

University, Aurangabad, India, 1997

W ORK EXPERIENCE

Graduate Research Assistant, Robotics Research Group (RRG), University of Texas

at Austin: 01/2004.-present

• Performed robotic systems research in the area of Mobile Manipulation towards the doctoral

studies

• Worked on several DARPA and DOE funded projects involving robotic system level research

and development. The robotic systems span from fixed base manipulation systems to mobile

manipulation systems.

• Worked on hardware integration of various off the shelf robotic systems into two Mobile

Manipulation research test beds.

*DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauch Dienst) German Academic Exchange Service

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(www.daad.de) is a fellowship awarded by German government. This fellowship was awarded to the top

60 amongst the total 12,000 students pursuing master studies at the IITs.

KULKARNI, AMIT JULY 2009

• Maintained and administered the Linux and Windows based computers that

run/communicate with the robotic systems.

• Created simulation examples for control of different robotic systems using RRG’s

manipulation software framework, OSCAR (Operational Software Components for Advanced

Robotics).

• Developed, and maintained different modules of OSCAR.

• Developed CAD models using Solidworks for simulations/demonstrations.

Summer Intern, Idaho National Lab: 05/2007 – 08/2007

• Worked on the hardware development of a Mobile Manipulation system using a state of the

art mobile robot, RMP400 from Segway, and a 7 DOF robotic arm, LWA3 from Schunk.

• Developed a platform independent and XML based control interface for the mobile

manipulation system using INL’s navigation software, Robot Intelligence Kernel (RIK), and

RRG’s manipulation software, OSCAR, using C++ as the language of development. The

development was done in Windows XP/Vista as well various Linux flavors.

• Integrated the manipulator control with the 3D graphical user interface developed at INL

using C# and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005.

Software Engineer, Siemens PLM Software (Formerly Structural Dynamic Research

Corporation (SDRC)): 04/2001 – 11/2003

• Worked in a geographically separated team of 5-15 people to develop the software

framework (C and C++ development), user interface and algorithm for various new

operators in the “CAD- Modeling” module that were introduced in I-DEAS (currently known

as NX) version 9, 10, and 11. Worked on the software development from the requirement

gathering phase through the post-release maintenance and support. Used both Windows

and UNIX environments for software development.

• Created Requirement and Design documents for the various development projects using

Rational Rose.

• Supported bug/enhancement requests raised by customers for various “CAD-Modeling”

operators for I-DEAS’ released versions 9, 10 and 11.

• Developed and supported I-DEAS 11 “CAD Drafting” module.

• Coordinated the Beta-testing effort for I-DEAS release 11 for the entire India region.

Teaching Assistant, Technical Mechanics Department, Karlsruhe University,

Germany: 05/2000 – 02/2001

• Conducted tutorials for the undergraduate course, Engineering Mechanics.

• Graded the course assignments.

• Conducted TA sessions.

Senior Section In-charge, Goodyear Tires: 08/1997 – 12/1998

• Supervised the production shifts for the “Car Tires- Building” section of the manufacturing

plant located in Aurangabad, India.

• Supervised the engineering activities including projects, preventive and breakdown

maintenance of the mixing and extrusion division of the manufacturing plant.

P UBL IC A T IO NS

• A. Kulkarni, and D. Tesar, “Instant Center Based Kinematics for Mobile Platforms”,

submitted to ASME Journal for Mechanisms and Robotics

• A. Kulkarni et al., “Software Framework for Mobile Manipulation,” Proceedings of

International Topical Meeting on Emergency Preparedness and Response and Robotic and

Remote Systems, Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 2008

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KULKARNI, AMIT JULY 2009

S OFTW A RE EXPE R TISE

• Programming languages

C++, C, C#, Matlab, VB, Shell script

• Engineering software

I-DEAS, Unigraphics, SolidWorks, Lab View, Simulink

• Other Tools

Microsoft Visual Studio (6-2008 versions), Together Soft, Rational Rose, PSP3.0, Clear Case

• Operating Systems

Windows 98 – Vista, Linux, UNIX

• Corporate Trainings

o Underwent training for PSP 3.0 (Personnel Software Process) conducted by Carnegie

Mellon University’s SEI. This is a training equivalent to SEI CMM level 5.

o Underwent online training sponsored by SDRC on various software engineering

modules such as: OOAD (Object Oriented Analysis and Design) and UML, Design

Patterns, Java Programming, Shell script, Perl script, Designing reusable C++.

A WAR DS

• Awarded DAAD fellowship to pursue the Master’s thesis at the Karlsruhe University.

• Awarded Middle School and Secondary School scholarships. The scholarships are awarded

to pupils based on competitive exams run by the state board of education.

T ALKS A N D D EM O NST R A T IO NS

• Presented a talk on “Mobile Manipulation” at the Southwest Research Institute, San

Antonio, TX, in January 2009

• Presented a talk on “Introduction to Robotics” at the J. N. College of Engineering,

Aurangabad, India, in December 2007

• Demonstrated Mobile Manipulation test-bed at the NDIA’s Robot Capabilities Conference

and Exhibition, Addison, TX, in March 2009

S OC I AL/ OUTR EA CH A CT I VITIES

• Mentored three undergraduate Engineering students under the Graduates Linked with

Undergraduates (GLUE) research projects organized by the Women in Engineering

Program, UT Austin.

• Coached first year graduate students for the PH.D qualifying examination in the Mechanical

Systems and Design area.

• Served on the annual staff awards recommendation committee (of four people) for the

Mechanical Engineering department at University of Texas at Austin for the year 2006.

• Mentored Graduate and Undergraduate Research Assistants at the Robotics Research

Group.

• Served on the panel of judges for “Destination Imagination” competition for the years 2006

and 2007.

• Volunteer work for Jagriti School for Blind Girls in Pune, India.

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