Education

  • Ph.D., Kyoto University, Japan, 2002
  • M.S., Kyoto University, Japan, 1996
  • B.S., Kyoto University, Japan, 1994

Background

Dr. Ueda begins at Georgia Tech in May 2008 as Assistant Professor. Before Georgia Tech, he was a Visiting Scholar and Lecturer at MIT, where he worked on the development and control of cellular actuators inspired by biological muscle. He developed compliant, large strain piezoelectric actuators and a robust control method called stochastic broadcast feedback.

From 2002-2008 he was Assistant Professor at Nara Institute of Science and Technology in Japan, where he led a research group dedicated to dynamics and control in robotics, such as robot hand manipulation, tactile sensing, and power-assisting.

From 1996 to 2002 and prior to obtaining his Ph.D, he worked at the Advanced Technology R&D Center of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in Japan. Here he was involved in a variety of activities including disk drives, machine tools, and satellite tracking antennas. His Ph.D. work at Kyoto University was on the end-point control of a robot manipulator mounted on a nonrigid base. He studied feedback control robustness in terms of the coupling of the arm and base dynamics.

Research

  • Automation and Mechatronics: Robotics (bio-inspired actuators, sensors, and integration) and Automatic Control (Robust control, flexible mechanism control, human-robot physical interaction)

  • Bioengineering

The goal of Dr. Jun Ueda’s research is to expand the capability of actuation technology for fast, precise and robust motion control that can enhance human motor functions. His research achievement is twofold: 1) basic research to understand and characterize novel hierarchical cellular actuation principles inspired by biological muscles and to advance the potential of piezoelectric, pneumatic, and non-conventional electromagnetic actuators and transmission mechanisms; 2) applied research to integrate new actuators into surgery, physical therapy, and worker assistive technology where traditional actuators are not fully applicable. His research has developed theories to mathematically model the interaction between actuators and other dynamic components such as sensors, mechanical structure, control algorithms, and human factors, for effective integration of intelligent robotic systems. Dr. Ueda’s actuator research has been broadly applied to other disciplines such as biomedicine, computer vision, micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), search and rescue (SAR), and manufacturing, which allow his collaborators to explore new concepts to advance engineering and science in the areas.

Cellular actuators inspired by biological muscles

 

  • General Chair, 2023, IEEE International Conference on System Integration (SII 2023)
  • The 7th Nagamori Award, 2021
  • IEEE Transactions on Mechatronics Management Committee, 2018-present
  • Visiting Professor, Hiroshima University, 2020-
  • Visiting Associate Professor, The University of ElectroCommunications, 2020-
  • Plenary Speaker, 2017 IEEE Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM) Conference
  • Director, Interdisciplinary Robotics PhD Program at Georgia Tech, 2015-2017
  • Helmsley Distinguished Fellow, The ABC Robotics Initiative, The Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 2016
  • IEEE Transactions on Robotics Associate Editor, 2017-present
  • Advanced Robotics Best Paper Award, 2015
  • IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Early Academic Career Award in Robotics and Automation, 2009
  • FANUC FA and Robot Foundation Original Paper Award, 2005
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science postdoctoral fellowship for research abroad, 2004

Representative Publications

  • Daniel E. Martinez, Waiman Meinhold, John Oshinski, Ai-Ping Hu, and Jun Ueda, Super Resolution for Improved Positioning of an MRI-Guided Spinal Cellular Injection Robot, Journal of Medical Robotics Research, 2140002, 2021 
  • Euisun Kim, Waiman Meinhold, Minoru Shinohara, Jun Ueda, Statistical Inter-stimulus Interval Window Estimation for Transient Neuromodulation via Paired Mechanical and Brain Stimulation, Frontiers in NeuroRobotics, Volume 14, 2020
  • Jun Ueda, Joshua Schultz, and Harry Asada, Cellular Actuators: Modularity and Variability in Muscle-Inspired Actuation, Butterworth-Heinemann, 382 pages, January 2017
  • Jun Ueda and Yuichi Kurita, Human Modeling for Bio-Inspired Robotics, ISBN 9780128031377, Academic Press, Elsevier, September 2016
  • Michael Kim and Jun Ueda, “Dynamics-based motion de-blurring for a PZT-driven, compliant camera orientation mechanism,” The International Journal of Robotics Research, Vol. 34(4-5) 653–673, 2015
  • Jun Ueda, Ming Ding, Vijaya Krishnamoorthy, Minoru Shinohara, Tsukasa Ogasawara, “Individual Muscle Control using an Exoskeleton Robot for Muscle Function Testing,” IEEE Transactions on Neural and Rehabilitation Systems Engineering, Vol.18, No.4, pp.339-350, Aug. 2010
  • Jun Ueda, Thomas Secord, Harry Asada, “Large Effective-Strain Piezoelectric Actuators Using Nested Cellular Architecture with Exponential Strain Amplification Mechanisms”, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 770-782, 2010