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CURRICULUM VITAE: YU ZHENG
YU ZHENG (Male, born on January 29, 1979)
LAB: Control & Mechatronics Lab, National University of Singapore
Block EA, #04-06, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117576
PHONE: 65-82697917 (mobile), 65-65166076 (lab)
E-MAIL: yuzheng001@gmail.com; mpezy@nus.edu.sg
EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE
National University of Singapore, Singapore, October 2007 – present
Research Fellow
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, September 1997 – September 2007
PhD, Mechatronics, September 2007
B. Eng., Mechanical Engineering, July 2001 (major)
B. Eng., Computer Science and Engineering, July 2001 (minor)
RESEARCH TOPICS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Convex geometry and numerical algorithms
a. Presented a fast algorithm for calculating the minimum distance between a point and a convex cone [1,17]. By
this algorithm, developed the most efficient method of equilibrium and/or force-closure tests for robotic
systems, such as multifingered hands, cable-driven manipulators, and multilegged robots. This algorithm has
been also used in contact force distribution for multi-contact robotic systems [2].
b. Proposed a numerical algorithm for determining the intersection point(s) of a compact convex set and a ray
[16,19]. Applied this algorithm to solving the problem of contact force optimization.
c. Seeking other applications in robotics research and applications in other fields.
Analysis, planning, and control of walking robots
a. Established a new framework for dynamic analysis of walking robots [18]. Developing new techniques for
motion planning under this framework.
b. Pattern generation for various motions of humanoid robots, such as bipedal walking, climbing obstacles, and
push recovery [20–22].
Fixturing and modular fixture
a. Put forward methods for automated fixture layout design [3,4].
b. Designed a 3-D modular fixture and developed an automatic synthesis algorithm [7].
Grasping and dexterous manipulation
a. Suggested a general method of force-closure analysis by the duality between the infinitesimal motion and the
wrench [14]. Gave a systematic and strict derivation of the ray-shooting approach to force-closure problems
using the terminology of convex analysis [10,13].
b. Precisely computed the largest resultant wrench in the worst direction that a grasp can generate with limited
contact forces [6]. The quantity was used as a performance index for optimal grasp planning [8,11].
c. Characterized an object surface using convex facets, line segments, and discrete points, and brought forth
algorithms for automatically selecting the eligible ones to provide force-closure contact positions [5].
d. Put forward an iterative procedure for dynamic force distribution [9], which runs thousand-fold faster than the
previous approaches using the Simplex method. Presented a decomposition and positive combination
algorithm [12], which runs in only hundreds of microseconds on a Pentium-IV PC.
e. Linearized the nonlinear friction models of soft finger contact, so that all the linearization-based methods of
force-closure analysis and contact force optimization can be generalized to soft finger contact [15].
CURRICULUM VITAE: YU ZHENG
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PUBLICATIONS
Journal Articles
[1] Y. Zheng and C.-M. Chew, “Distance between a point and a convex cone in n-dimensional space:
computation and applications,” IEEE Transactions on Robotics, under review.
[2] Y. Zheng and C.-M. Chew, “Fast equilibrium test and force distribution for multi-contact robotic systems,”
Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, Transactions of the ASME, under review.
[3] Y. Zheng and C.-M. Chew, “Efficient procedures for optimal form-closure grasp planning and fixture layout
design,” Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, Transactions of the ASME, under review.
[4] Y. Zheng and C.-M. Chew, “A geometric approach to automated fixture layout design,” Computer-Aided
Design, under review.
[5] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “New advances in automatic selection of eligible surface elements for grasping
and fixturing,” Robotica, under review.
[6] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “Improving grasp quality evaluation,” Robotics and Autonomous Systems,
accepted.
[7] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “A 3-D modular fixture with enhanced localization accuracy and immobilization
capability,” International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 677–687, 2008.
[8] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “On some weaknesses existing in optimal grasp planning,” Mechanism and
Machine Theory, vol. 43, no. 5, pp. 576–590, 2008.
[9] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “A fast procedure for optimizing dynamic force distribution in multifingered
grasping,” IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics―part B: Cybernetics, vol. 36, no. 6,
pp. 1417–1422, 2006.
[10] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “An enhanced ray-shooting approach to force-closure problems,” Journal of
Manufacturing Science and Engineering, Transactions of the ASME, vol. 128, no. 4, pp. 960–968,
2006.
[11] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “Limiting and minimizing the contact forces in multifingered grasping,”
Mechanism and Machine Theory, vol. 41, no. 10, pp. 1243–1257, 2006.
[12] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “Dynamic force distribution in multifingered grasping by decomposition and
positive combination,” IEEE Transactions on Robotics, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 718–726, 2005.
[13] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “Simplification of the ray-shooting based algorithm for 3-D force-closure test,”
IEEE Transactions on Robotics, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 470–473, 2005.
[14] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “Coping with the grasping uncertainties in force-closure analysis,” International
Journal of Robotics Research, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 311–327, 2005.
[15] Y. Zheng and W.-H. Qian, “Linearizing the soft finger contact constraint with application to dynamic force
distribution in multifingered grasping,” Science in China, ser. E, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 121–130, 2005.
Conference Papers
[16] Y. Zheng and C.-M. Chew, “A numerical solution to the ray-shooting problem and its applications in robotic
grasping,” IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Kobe, Japan, May 2009, under
review.
[17] Y. Zheng and C.-M. Chew, “A new distance algorithm and its application to general force-closure test,” in
Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics,
Chengdu, China, September 2008, to appear.
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CURRICULUM VITAE: YU ZHENG
Manuscripts in Preparation
[18] Y. Zheng and C.-M. Chew, “A new framework for dynamic analysis of walking robots,” International
Journal of Robotics Research.
[19] Y. Zheng and C.-M. Chew, “On the intersection of a compact convex set and a ray in n-dimensional space:
computation and applications,” IEEE Transactions on Robotics.
Co-authored articles
[20] L. Yang, C.-M. Chew, Y. Zheng, and A.-N. Poo, “A study of truncated Fourier series model for bipedal
walking balance control,” Robotica, revision under review.
[21] W.-W. Huang, C.-M. Chew, Y. Zheng, and G.-S. Hong, “Bio-inspired locomotion control with coordination
between neural oscillators,” International Journal of Humanoid Robotics, under review.
[22] W.-W. Huang, C.-M. Chew, Y. Zheng, and G.-S. Hong, “Pattern generation for bipedal walking on slopes
and stairs,” IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots, Daejeon, Korea, December
2008, accepted.
ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES
Session Chair of IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 2008
Session Chair, Track Chair, and Reviewer of IEEE International Conference on CIS-RAM, 2008
Reviewer of IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, 2008
Reviewer of IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, 2008, 2006
Reviewer of IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 2007
Reviewer of IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics―part B, 2007, 2005
COMMUNITY SERVICE AN D EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
National University of Singapore
Member of the NUS Staff Tennis Team, 2008-present
helped the team win the championship of the 20th ISBG Tennis Competition of Singapore
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Captain of the SJTU Students Tennis Team, 2003-2005
established the team, which won several championships for the university
Vice-President of the SJTU Students Sports Union, 1998-2000
organized the sports activities on campus and coordinated various students sports associations
Member of the SJTU Students Sports Union, 1997-1998
helped to organize the sports activities on campus
Thank you very much for taking time to read my CV.