Machines, Mechanism and Robotics

Dr. Rajeev Kumar is currently Associate Professor in the School of Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, India. He received his Ph.D. in Machine Design from IIT Roorkee, India, in 2008. Prior to join IIT Mandi, he served at the General Electric John F. Welch Technology Centre, Bengaluru, as a Technologist. His major research interests include smart material/structure, piezoelectric/triboelectric energy harvesting, finite element method, modelling, control, and optimization (genetic algorithm). He has published more than sixty research articles in international repute journals and more than 40 conference proceedings. Dr. Kumar has successfully guided 5 Ph.D. scholars and 6 M.S. thesis. He has received project funding from SERB-DST, Aeronautical Research Board, Naval Research Board, BHEL Haridwar, Indo Farm Equipment Ltd., and Baddi, Societyfor Technology & Development, Mandi. He has received National Doctoral Fellowship (NDF) Award - 2004 by AICTE, Green Belt Certificate Award-2009 by General Electric (GE), IIT Mandi Foundation Award-2013 for teaching many courses and setting up mechanical workshop, IIT Mandi Foundation Award-2016 for developing a new course “Design Practicum”, and  IIT Mandi Foundation Award-2019 for efficient management of the school activities as Chairperson of the School of Engineering and for playing key role in launching new academic programs. Dr. Vishal Singh Chauhan is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, India. His research areas include deformation induced emissions for structural health monitoring, applications of ceramics and composites for deformation monitoring, thermal sensing and energy harvesting, glass ceramics for water treatment. Dr. Chauhan has published 55 papers in international journals, has received 4 externally funded projects, and has supervised 4 Ph.D. and 6 M.S. students. He has given invited talks in several workshops and conferences, and teaches courses related to Graphics for Design, Mechanics of Rigid Bodies, Theory of Machines, Design of Machines Elements, Deformation Behaviour of Materials. Dr. Mohammad Talha is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, India. He received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from IIT, Kharagpur in 2012, and undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University, India.  Dr. Talha has received the prestigious National doctoral fellowship from the Government of India for his doctoral degree. He has a passion for research in engineering and applied sciences, which includes computational solid mechanics, mechanics and composites structures, uncertainty quantification in aircraft analysis and design, imperfection sensitivity in composites, experimental and computational biomechanics. Dr. Talha has received project funding from SERB-DST, AR&DB, TBRL, DRDO and SEED grant from IIT Mandi. He has published more than 45 research articles in international journals, and more than 30 conference proceedings in India and abroad. Dr. Talha has successfully guided two Ph.D. scholars and 2 M.S. thesis at IIT Mandi. Dr. Himanshu Pathak is currently an Assistant Professor at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, India. Dr. Pathak has expertise on mesh independent computational methodology (like XFEM and meshfree methods), multi-scale modelling, solid mechanics, fracture and fatigue analyses of composite materials, etc. He has published more than 50 research articles in journals and conference proceedings of national and international repute. He has supervised 4 Ph.D. and 3 M.S. students. Dr. Pathak has given invited talks at several international workshops, conferences, colloquiums, etc.,  and teaches courses related to mechanical design and robotics.       

Effect of Structural Characteristics on Kinematics of Planar Kinematic Chains.- Kinematics Model of Bionic Manipulator by Using Elliptic Integral Approach.- Kinematic Synthesis and Optimization of a Double Slotted Fowler Flap Mechanism.- A Method to Detect Isomorphism in Planar Kinematic Chains.- Generation of Coupler Curves for Planar Kinematic Chains Using Link Joint Equations.