Professor Peter Xu

Biography

2021 IEEE 27th International Conference on Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice (M2VIP2021), 26-28 Nov 2021, Shanghai, China.

Peter (Weiliang) Xu joined the University of Auckland on 1  February 2011, as Chair in Mechatronics Engineering.  He was the Professor of Mechatronics (2007-2010), Associate Professor (2005-2006) and Senior Lecturer (1999-2004) in School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, New Zealand. Prior to coming to New Zealand, he worked at the City University of Hong Kong (1993-1998), the University of Stuttgart, Germany (1990-1992) and Southeast University, China (1988-1989).

His current research interests are mainly in areas of advanced mechatronics/robotics with applications in medicine, foods and drugs. He is Senior Member of IEEE and Fellow of Engineering New Zealand. Currently, he is Associate Editor for IEEE Open Journal of Industrial Electronics Society and ASME Journal of Science and Engineering in Medical Diagnostics and Therapy.

Professor Xu is affiliated with Riddet Institute, The New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) in Food, Innovation and Health and The Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonics and Quantum Technologies, The New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE).

Qualifications

BE (Manufacturing), Southeast University, China, 1982
ME (Mechanical), Southeast University, China, 1985
PhD (Mechtraonics), Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1988

Research | Current

• Soft tissue manipulation, a new research initiative across applications
  • Soft tissue manipulation via a robot (for ovine offal harvesting)
  • Soft surface manipulator for simultaneous sorting of multiple delicate objects
• Advanced robotics in foods and drugs
  • Digestion robotics (chewing, swallowing, throat, esophagus and stomach)
  • Robotic instrumentation for food texture and rheology analysis
• Advanced mechatronics in medicine
  • Soft-bodied robotic instrumentation (soft sensing, actuating and control)
  • Data-driven modeling and control in soft robotics
  • Catheter-tip fiber optic Raman sensor for in vivo cancer diagnosis
  • Needle-tip fiber optic force sensor for in vivo tissue identificatio
  • Deep learning and SERS biomedical sensors
• Advanced mechatronics for agriculture 
  • Aerial manipulation for forest canopy sampling
  • Autonomous omni-directional mobile robotics
  • Automatic pine tree shoot culturing

Teaching | Current

• MECHENG 312 - Sensors and Actuators
• MECHENG 706 - Mechatronics Design
• MECHENG 736 - Biomechatronics

Postgraduate supervision

Current PhDs, as Main Supervisor

1. M. Lu, SERS biomedical sensing, The University of Auckland, 2021 -
2. X. Wang, Next-generation of mastication robot, The University of Auckland, 2021 -
3. S. Duamu, Soft Robotics Simulations and In Vitro Swallowing of Drugs, The University of Auckland, 2021
4. M. Kazemzadeh, Catheter-tip Fibre-optic Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for in vivo Cancer Diagnosis, The University of Auckland, 2019 -
5. S. Kazemi, Data-driven Closed-loop Control of a Soft Robotic Gastric Simulator, The University of Auckland, 2019 -
6. S. Jesna, Sensing and Control of an Esophageal Robot, The Unievsrity of Auckland, 2018 -
7. Q. Zhang, Soft Tissue Manipulation and Ovine Offal Sorting, The Unievsrity of Auckland, 2018 -
8. Z.X. Chen, Data-driven Closed-loop Control of a Soft Robotics Table for Simultaneous Multiple Object Manipulation, The University of Auckland, 2017-

Completed PhDs, as Main Supervisor

1. B.X. Chen, A Versatile Chewing Robot for Adjustable Masticatory Kinematics Towards Food Texture Analysis, The University of Auckland, 2021
2. D. Bhattacharya, Robotic Soft Esophagus Design, Modelling and Control for Endoprosthetic Stent Testing and Food Swallow Investigation, The University of Auckland, 2020
3. A.B. Hashem, A Biologically Inspired Soft-Bodied Bellows-Driven Stomach Robot: Concept, Design and Validation, The University of Auckland, 2020
4. D. Yu, Modeling and Analysis of a Pneumatically Actuated Soft Robot Mimicking Human Gastric Motility, The University of Auckland, 2019
5. S. Mostashiri, Dynamics and Control of Actuation Redundant Parallel Robots,  The University of Auckland, 2019
6. A.B. Din, Stretchable Sensing for Pressure and Deformation in Soft-bodied Robotics, The University of Auckland, 2018
7. J. Kutia, Aerial Manipulation for Canopy Sampling, The University of Auckland, The University of Auckland, 2018
8. H. Chen, Miniature Fiber Optic Raman Sensor for In Vivo Non-contact Nerve Detection in Minimally Invasive Spine, The University of Auckland, 2018
9. Z.C. Deng, A Novel XY Soft Machine Table Capable of Simultaneous Multiple Object Manipulation Through Surface Deformation, The University of Auckland, 2018
10. Z.L. Mo, A Miniature Temperature-Compensated Fiber Optic Force Sensor for Minimally Invasive Surgeries, The University of Auckland, 2017
11. L. Xie, Mechatronics Design and Energy-Optimal Autonomous Navigation of a Heavy-Duty Omnidirectional Mecanum Mobile Robot, The University of Auckland, 2017
12. B.Y. Huo, Research on Robot-assisted Steering System for Bevel-tip Flexible Needle, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2016
13. H.Y. Wen, Study of Redundantly Actuated Bionic Mastication Robot with Point Contact Higher Kinematic Pair, Dalian University of Technology, China, 2016
14. C.V. Pham, Integrated and Adaptive Traffic Signal Control for Diamond Interchange, Massey University, 2016
15. M.Z. Zhu, Peristalsis Control and Sensing of a Soft-bodied Swallowing Robot, The University of Auckland, 2016.
16. C. Cheng, A Redundantly Actuated Masticatory Robot of Spatial Parallel Mechanism with Higher Kinematic Pairs - Kinematics, Optimal Torque Distribution and Motion Control, The University of Auckland, 2015
17. F.J. Chen, Study on a Biomimetic Esophageal Robot, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China, 2015
18. S. Dirven, Biomimetic Design and Experimental Methods Towards a Biologically-inspired, Soft-bodied, Peristaltic Esophageal Actuator, The University of Auckland, 2014  
19. X.Y. Wang, Novel Wearable Assistive Device for Jaw Motion Disability Rehabilitation, Massey University, 2014
20. I. Emerson, An Integrated Robotic and Virtual Mirror Therapy System for Stroke Rehabilitation, Massey University, 2014  
21. X.F. Yu, Dynamic Programming Based Coordinated Ramp Metering Algorithms, Massey University, 2014
22. C. Sun, Modelling and Compliance Control of a Linkage Chewing Robot and Its Application in Food Evaluation, Massey University, 2012
23. J. Torrance, Kinematics, Motion Control and Force Estimation of a Chewing Robot of 6RSS Parallel Mechanism, Massey University, 2011
24. E. Hirst, Acoustic Wave and Bond Rupture Based Biosensor-- Principle and Development, Massey University, 2009
25. M. van der Werff, Development of Digital Instrumentation for Bond Rupture Detection, Massey University, 2008
26. L. Han, Sensor-Based Flexible Vibratory Feeding System for Agile Manufacturing, City University of Hong Kong, 2002
27. Z.H. Wang, Design and Experimental Investigation of a High-Precision Robust Motion Control, Southeast University, China, 2002
28. T.W. Yang, Sensing and Control of Micro-Macro Flexible Robotic Manipulator, Southeast University, China, 2001
29. X.S. Wang, Sensor-based Dynamics Control of Flexible Manipulator, Southeast University, China, 2000

Distinctions/Honours

Alexander von Homboldt (AvH) Research Fellowship (1990)

Korean Federation of Science and Technology (KoFST) Research Fellowship (2006)

Japan Society of the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Research Fellowship (2010)

Young Academics Research Award, Fuk Ying Tong Foundation, China (1996)

Responsibilities

Programme Director, BE(Hons) Mechatronics Engineering

Areas of expertise

Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation

Committees/Professional groups/Services

Associate Editor, ASME Journal of Engineering and Science in Medical Diagnosis and Therapy (ASME-JESMDT), since 2017

Associate Editor, IEEE Open Journal of Industrial Electronics Society, since 2020

Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 2003-2020

Associate Editor, IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, 2008-2010

Editor/Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technology and Applications, since 2005

Professional affiliations

• Senior Member IEEE
• Fellow, Engineering New Zealand