Alumni

R&D Engineers

Stephen Mock, M.S.

Postdoctoral researchers

Alexis E. Block, Ph.D.

Eunsuk Chong, Ph.D.

Ph.D. graduates

Huajing Zhao, Ph.D. (UCLA Mechanical Engineering, 2025)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Robots in Service of Safety and Care: Multimodal Systems for Human-Centric Tasks”

Yi Zheng, Ph.D. (UCLA Mechanical Engineering, 2023)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Data-driven robotic manipulation of deformable objects using tactile feedback: From model-free to model-based approaches”

Lionel Zhang, Ph.D. (UCLA Mechanical Engineering, 2023)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Human-in-the-loop Teleoperation for Tactile-driven Physical Interactions in Unstructured Environments”

Eric Peltola, Ph.D. (UCLA Mechanical Engineering, 2022)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Human Hand Pose Estimation and Artificial Tactile Sensing in Harsh Environments”

Alireza Haji Fathaliyan, Ph.D. (UCLA Mechanical Engineering, 2022)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Data-driven Approaches to Enhance the Human Experience in Human-Robot Systems: Leveraging Eye Gaze for Intention Recognition and Trust Calibration”

Shengxin Jia, Ph.D. (UCLA Mechanical Engineering, 2022)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Tactile Perception, Haptic Exploration, and Map Rendering for Robots that Operate within Granular Materials”

Xiaoyu Wang, Ph.D. (UCLA Mechanical Engineering, 2021)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Eye Gaze-based Approaches to Recognize Human Intent for Shared Autonomy Control of Robot Manipulators”

Kenneth Gutierrez, Ph.D. (UCLA Mechanical Engineering, 2021)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Model-free Approaches to Robotic Manipulation via Tactile Perception and Tension-driven Control”

Randall Hellman, Ph.D. (Arizona State University Mechanical Engineering, 2016)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Haptic Perception, Decision-making, and Learning for Manipulation with Artificial Hands”

Ruben Ponce Wong, Ph.D. (Arizona State University Mechanical Engineering, 2013)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Towards haptic intelligence for artificial hands: Development and use of deformable, fluidic tactile sensors to relate action and perception”

Michael De Gregorio, Ph.D. (Arizona State University Mechanical Engineering, 2013)

  • Ph.D. Dissertation: “Active and passive precision grip responses to unexpected perturbations”

M.S. graduates

Ryan Manis, M.S. (ASU Mechanical Engineering, 2014)

  • M.S.E. Applied Project: “Independent digit contributions to rotational manipulation in a three-digit pouring task requiring dynamic stability”

Benjamin Unger, M.S. (ASU Mechanical Engineering, 2013)

  • M.S.E. Applied Project: “Electronic and communication system design for proprioception in an artificial hand”

Albert Hsia, M.S. (ASU Biomedical Engineering, 2012)

  • M.S. Thesis: “Multi-directional slip detection between artificial fingers and a grasped object” (2012)
  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Use of a hydrophone to detect slip between an artificial fingertip and a grasped object” (2011)

Chad Ripley, M.S. (ASU Mechanical Engineering, 2011)

  • M.S.E. Applied Project: “Contour-following for haptic exploration”

James Kristoff, M.S. (ASU Mechanical Engineering, 2011)

  • M.S.E. Applied Project: “Development of a Real-time Software Platform for Robotic Experiments on Dexterous Manipulation”

Stephanie Naufel, M.S. (ASU Biomedical Engineering, 2011)

  • M.S. Thesis: “Single-unit responses in somatosensory cortex to precision grip of textured surfaces and The collaborative ethics of translational research” (2011; Co-advised with Dr. Stephen I. Helms Tillery, ASU)
  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Neuroprosthetics: Helping the body help itself. Sensory feedback development for neuroprosthetic hands, and the ethics of technology in the brain” (2010; Co-advised with Dr. Stephen I. Helms Tillery, ASU)

Philine Donner, M.S. (Mechanical Engineering, 2011), Visiting scholar from The Technical University of Munich, Germany

  • M.S. Thesis: “Development of Computational Models and Controllers for Tendon-driven Robotic Fingers”

Honors undergraduate students

Eric Chang, B.S. with Barrett Honors (ASU Mechanical Engineering, 2015)

  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Digit control during object handover”

Shea Loges, B.S. with Barrett Honors (ASU Mechanical Engineering, 2014)

  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Multidigit tactile exploration of the environment through an object”

Santhi Priya Challa, B.S. with Barrett Honors (ASU Astrophysics, 2014)

  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Investigation of multimodal tactile cues for multidigit rotational tasks”

Joshua Beck, B.S. with Barrett Honors (ASU Mechanical Engineering, 2012)

  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Uniaxial transducer for a tendon-driven linkage”

Jenna Lynne, B.S. with Barrett Honors (ASU Biomedical Engineering, 2012)

  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Effects of load asymmetry on tactile flow during prosthetic grasp”

Riley Shear, B.S. with Barrett Honors (ASU Mechanical Engineering, 2012)

  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Design of Kinect-based object identification and tracking system”

Troy Torrez, B.S. with Barrett Honors (ASU Mechanical Engineering, 2012)

  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Design of a collapsible instrument for studying grasp of breakable objects”

Ben Teplitzky, B.S. with Barrett Honors (ASU Biomedical Engineering, 2011)

  • Barrett Honors Thesis: “Closed loop non-invasive human robot interaction: Fusion of electrotactile and temperature stimuli at fingertips”

Other student lab members

Ph.D. students

  • Kevin William Bair (ASU Mechanical Engineering) — In memoriam
  • Yuzhen Chen (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Jizhai Cui (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Yayun Du (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Meng-Hao Li (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Simon Frederik Muller-Cleve (Italian Institute of Technology)
  • Muhammad Shahzain Riaz (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Andrew Thoesen (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Cheng-Ju Wu (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)

M.S. students

  • Peter Aspinall (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Jonathan Bopp (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Barbara Boyajian (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • George Geha (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Muhan Hou (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Claire Hsu (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Dustin Kramer (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Ryan Ling (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Vi Nguyen (ASU Biomedical Engineering)
  • Shashank Prasanna (ASU Electrical Engineering)
  • Ismael Reveles (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Priyanka Sadavarte (ASU Electrical Engineering)
  • Jacob Serber (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Victoria Serrano (ASU Electrical Engineering)
  • Agraj Sobti (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Steven Stosky (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Bowen Tan (UCLA Electrical Engineering)
  • Vidhya Thandayuthapani (UCLA Electrical Engineering)
  • Mark Trudgen (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Aileen Villalpando (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Anran Wang (ASU Mechanical Engineering)

Undergraduate students

  • Rizwan Ahmad (ASU Biomedical Engineering)
  • Andrew Allan (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Mitchell Annicchiarico (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Samuel Appiah Kubi (Robotics Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA)
  • Josue Araujo-Hernandez (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Casey Asaoka (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • May Battleson (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Philip Bauer (UCLA Materials Science)
  • Sahm Bazargan (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Aarranon Bharathan (UCLA Electrical Engineering)
  • Kristen Biermayer (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Emma Blass (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Kathryn Benson (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Ethan Brandt (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Cody Brown (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Jasmine Brown (ASU Biomedical Engineering)
  • Chuyang Cai (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Nicholas Camarena (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Sade Campos (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Luming Cao (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Jonathan Chan (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Ji Chen (Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Tsinghua University, China)
  • Wanwen Chen (Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Peking University, China)
  • Thomas Chun (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Erica Chung (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Manuel Cisneros (UC Davis Biomedical Engineering)
  • Adam Cobb (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • A. Candace Derenge (ASU Biomedical Engineering)
  • Chandan Dhal (Electrical Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, India)
  • Brent Dodson (ASU Mechanical Engineeringy) — Special thanks to Brent Dodson for creating the Biomechatronics Lab logo!
  • David Egen (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Nicholas Fette (ASU Mathematics)
  • Shawn Footitt (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Gordon Freirich (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Angela Gao (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Njeri Gachoka (UC Santa Cruz Computer Science)
  • Vangelis Gonzalez (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Eric Hannoush (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Kaijian He (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Stephanie Herrera (UC Irvine Mechanical Engineering)
  • Chase Hrdina (ASU Aerospace Engineering)
  • Kevin Hsu (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Guotai Huang (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Amy Hung (UCLA Applied Mathematics)
  • David Ingraham (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Parth Kasmalkar (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Alysa Kataoka (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Adrian Knowles-Jackman (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Renjee Li (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Yunhao Li (Information Engineering, Xian Jiaotong University, China)
  • Albert Lin (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Sophia Liu (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Nathan Long (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Shawn Lu (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Zhiwei Luo (Automation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China)
  • Curtis Manacsa (UC Berkeley Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)
  • Amit Mangukia (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Walter Meacham (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Aiden Montiel (UCLA Electrical Engineering)
  • Frederick Moor (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Sruthi Mukkamala (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Kathleen Murphy (UCLA Biophysics)
  • Alexander Pak (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Hung Pham (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Ryan Poon (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Christina Rice (UCLA Bioengineering)
  • Disha Samaiyar (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • John-Pierre Sawma (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Shane Sandler (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Kate Schweidel (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Jacob Serber (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Erin Soto (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Juan Soto (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Timothy Stickles (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Khadij K. Tandja (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD)
  • Emily Tehrani (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Rebecca Teng (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Wesley Tong (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Kurtis Townsend (ASU Aerospace Engineering)
  • Angelina Tram (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Christine Truong (UCLA Electrical Engineering)
  • Nicholas Upham (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Edward Villa (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Allison Walters (UCLA Bioengineering)
  • Bowen Wang (Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China)
  • Yuting Wang (ASU Mechanical Engineering)
  • Zhe Wang (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Ryan Wong (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Tingern Wong (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Annalise Wulf (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Zhiyuan Yao (Mechanical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology)
  • Sophia Yin (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Steven Yin (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Nam Sik Yoo (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Keano Zamora (UCLA Computer Science)
  • Bryan Zhong (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Zichu Zhou (UCLA Mechanical Engineering)
  • Yifeng Zhu (Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, China)
  • Daniela Zokaeim (Santa Monica College, CA)

High school students

  • Sarah Anaya (Rancho Verde High School, Moreno Valley, CA)
  • David Baum (Beverly Hills High School, CA)
  • Sophie Chan (Mission San Jose High School, Fremont, CA)
  • Luis Corrales (Citrus Hill High School, Perris, CA)
  • Emma Cruz (Marlborough High School, Los Angeles, CA)
  • Jessica Han (Newbury Park High School, Newbury Park, CA)
  • Max Kramer (Marlborough High School, Los Angeles, CA)
  • Sarah Lanzner (Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, CA)
  • Julian Olschwang (Geffen Academy at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA)
  • Aaron Rovinsky (University High School, Los Angeles, CA)
  • Ethan Snook (Granada Hills Charter High School, Granada Hills, CA)
  • Emma Suh (Marlborough High School, Los Angeles, CA)
  • Sean Summers (Brophy College Preparatory, Phoenix, AZ)
  • Michael Zakariaie (Santa Monica High School, CA)