Control Engineer

JAMES ZHANG, PH.D.

JJZhang@AggieNetwork .com Cell: 408-***-**** U.S. Permanent Resident

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Engineer with several years industrial experience in robotics and control systems, and exemplary

hands-on troubleshooting and problem-solving skills

Developer with substantial object-oriented architecture design, algorithm and software development

experience both in PC and embedded real-time systems

Researcher with proven track record of applied technology research, analytical skills, and solid

expertise in robotics, sensing, controls and estimation, modeling, algorithms and software

Task taker with reputation for meeting challenges and contributing new concepts and ideas

Team player with demonstrated ability of performing independently and cooperatively

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Robotics (Sensor Fusion, Localization, Navigation, Manipulation, and Motion Control)

Multi-Robot Coordination

Control Theory and Design

Kinematics and Dynamics Analysis, Modeling, and Simulations

Motion and Vision Sensing, Instrumentation, and Mechatronics

Statistical Estimation and Learning

Algorithms, Embedded Software, and HMI

WORK EXPERIENCE

Sr. Systems Analyst

Intuitive Surgical Inc. Sunnyvale, CA (Apr. 2013-Present)

Analyze, design, and refine control, kinematics, dynamics and safety software algorithms, and define

and lead development and implementation of test software methods and architecture for highly-

complex surgical instruments and robotic systems

Conduct failure analysis and identify root causes of advanced issues at production and field

Perform data analysis and initiate test improvements and process optimizations

Sr. Software R&D Engineer - Robotics

Dematic Corp. Charlotte, NC [change company due to acquisition] (Jan. 2011-Apr. 2013)

Software R&D Engineer - Robotics

HK Systems Inc. Charlotte, NC (Jan. 2010-Dec. 2010)

Researched, architected, developed, implemented, and supported control software systems for

Autonomous Vehicles with guaranteed safety, high efficiency, and user-friendly interface

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qvMrJrD16E):

Developed, implemented and tested control-oriented modeling

Developed, implemented and tested real-time embedded vehicle control software for autonomous

operations including automatic diagnostics, calibration and battery charging

Developed, implemented and tested autonomous LIDAR navigation and localization software

Developed, implemented and tested object imaging and contour recognition software for

autonomous pallet searching, picking and dropping, and also truck loading and unloading

Developed, implemented and tested LIDAR obstacle detection and management software

Developed, implemented and tested vehicle motion planning and traffic management control

software with dynamic routing, order competition and swapping, and automatic deadlock resolution

Developed, implemented and tested management software system for rechargeable batteries

Developed, implemented and tested redundant monitoring thread to enhance safety

Developed, implemented and tested tools for real-time data processing, visualization, and storage

Documented architecture and algorithm design, testing plan, user guides, and manuals

Prepared training materials and delivered sessions for engineering, manufacturing, and services

Zhang resume, page 2 of 3

Provided technical consulting support for business developers and sales

Increased sales significantly: 13 new systems of over 100 vehicles installed worldwide

Offered field troubleshooting and technical support for commissioning highly complex and

challenging projects to fulfill customers’ full satisfaction

Identified and implemented cost savings and continuous improvement

Graduate Research Assistant

Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (Aug. 2006-Dec. 2009)

Created new methods of decentralized robust multi-task formation control of autonomous multi-robot

systems (1st Place Prize in 12th Texas A&M University Annual Research Week):

Proposed hierarchical navigation and control architecture to endow robots to simultaneously and

cooperatively handle multiple tasks and achieve complex behaviors in dynamic environments

Innovated exponential finite-time settling robust control algorithm and paradigm-shifting tracking

control laws with guaranteed zero errors despite inevitable uncertainties and disturbances

Solved interconnection time-delay influence on formation stability between robots and designed

robust control algorithm to recover destroyed formation patterns

Introduced original algorithm for obstacle and inter-robot collision avoidance

Designed distributed local dynamic communication algorithm to reduce energy consumption and

mitigate superfluous data exchange while still guaranteeing network connectivity to ensure stability

Provided new, systematic and thorough framework and foundation for unmanned autonomous skid-

steered field mobility platform (http://sites.google.com/a/tamu.edu/parker01):

Built skid-steered robot, developed electro-mechanical systems, architected object-oriented software

design, integrated IMUs, encoder and vision sensors, implemented embedded real-time control

algorithm, realized multi-sensor data fusion with Kalman filtering, and performed data analysis

Accomplished both kinematics and dynamics modeling of skid-steered field robots

Modeled locomotion and wheel/ground interactions and analyzed control stability conditions

Designed and implemented tire model and estimator-incorporated adaptive control algorithm to

dynamically capture wheel/ground contact conditions and simultaneously follow desired trajectories

Introduced algorithm of simultaneous localization and tire slip estimation for full autonomy

Calibrated IMUs by wavelet de-noise techniques to capture high frequency noise corruption

Designed noise models for IMUs to effectively eliminate time-varying biases

Comprehensively conducted testing to verify methodologies with computer vision

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (2005-2008)

o Advanced System o Engineering o Manufacturing

Dynamics & Controls Dynamics Modeling Information Systems

Graduate Research Assistant

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (Sept. 2004-May 2005)

Developed predictive modeling and intelligent maintenance and diagnostics tools for high yield next

generation semiconductor fabrication automation:

Established methodology of integrating stochastic fragmented data domains across whole

procedures of fabrication to improve future process yield estimation and prediction

Introduced optimization diagnostics approach to accomplish faster maintenance responses and

synchronized and more cost-effective maintenance actions to achieve close to 100% uptime

Verified methods by applying to global leading semiconductor manufacturer

EDUCATION

Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering (Ranked 1st in Ph.D. Qualifying Exams) (May 2010)

Thesis: Practical Issues in Formation Control of Multi-Robot Systems (Advisor: Dr. Suhada Jayasuriya)

Zhang resume, page 3 of 3

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

M.S. Mechanical Engineering (Apr. 2005)

Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China

B.S. Mechanical Engineering (high honors), B.A. Japanese (Level 1 – the highest) (July 2003)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

1. D.H.A. Maithripala, J. Zhang and S. Jayasuriya, “Radar Deception through Collaborating Multi-

ECAVs Generating a Phantom Track,” AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, to appear

2. J. Zhang and S. Jayasuriya, “Finite-Time Settling Real-Time Control for Multi-Robot Formation,”

48th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, pp. 2990-2995, Dec. 2009

3. J. Yi, H. Wang, J. Zhang, D. Song, S. Jayasuriya and J. Liu, “Kinematic Modeling and Analysis

of Skid-Steered Mobile Robots with Applications to Low-Cost Inertial-Measurement-Unit-Based

Motion Estimation,” IEEE Transactions on Robotics, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 1087-1097, Oct. 2009

4. J. Zhang and S. Jayasuriya, “Cooperative Control of Multi-Robot Nonholonomic Systems with

Dynamics Uncertainties and Control Time-Delays,” Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems 8,

pp. 477-489, Springer, July 2009 (Texas A&M Graduate Research and Presentation Grant)

5. J. Zhang and S. Jayasuriya, “Robust Formation Control of Multi-Robot Systems subject to

Interconnection Time-Delays Using Minimum Communication,” Unmanned Systems Technology

XI, vol. 7332, pp. 73320I-1~8, Apr. 2009

6. J. Zhang, J. Yi and S. Jayasuriya, “A Framework for Multi-Task Formation Control of

Nonholonomic Robotic Systems,” ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference, pp. 1043-

1050, Oct. 2008 (ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference Travel Award)

7. L. Yang, P. Kumar, J. Zhang, D. Djurdjanovic and J. Ni, “Predictive Modeling and Intelligent

Maintenance Tools for High Yield Next Generation Fab,” Semiconductor Research Cooperation

Technical Conference 2005 (Best Paper Award)

COMPUTER SKILLS

Proficient in C/C++, Python, MATLAB/Simulink, Multithread, and Certified Linux LPI and Cisco CCNA

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Adjunct Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Editorial Board, Springer book series of Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering

Editorial Board, International Journal of Control and Automation

Student Activities Committee Co-Chair, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society

Program Committee, IEEE Systems, Man & Cybernetics Society Annual Conference

Full Member, Sigma Xi - The Scientific Research Society

Regular Referee, all major top-rated journals and conferences in controls, robotics, and mechatronics

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