Active Research Areas
The emphasis is on two classes of ionic electroactive polymers, Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites and Conjugated Polymers, both of which generate large bending motions under low voltages (1-2 V). This research aims to develop effective modeling, sensing, and control strategies for these novel actuation materials, and pave the way for fully realizing their potential in micromanipulation, biomimetic robotics, and biomedical devices.
Collaborative control presents itself in various applications, ranging from sensor networks, to automated high systems, to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms. We study distributed/decentralized control methods for multi-agent systems. A testbed consisting of a group of robotic fish is being developed to study efficient coordination and control schemes.
Hysteresis, coupled with other nonlinearities and dynamics, presents significant challenges in the use of actuators based on smart materials. We are interested in both theoretical issues related to dynamical, hysteresis systems as well as real-time control schemes for effectively tackling such systems.
Exploiting recent advances in DSPs and FPGAs, we are developing embedded solutions to real-world control problems including the control of RF resonators in charged particle accelerators and the control of smart structures.
Research is conducted to understand system dynamics, in particular, the impact of friction/adhesion, at the microscale, and to develop control strategies suitable for manipulating objects at such a small scale.
Some Past Work of Dr. Tan (see the Publications page)
Modeling and Control of Magnetostrictive Actuators
Computational Micromagnetics
Almost Symplectic Integration of Hamiltonian Systems