Siddharth Anilkumar Bhurat

Summary

Passionate Robotics Engineer convinced that autonomous mobility holds the key to addressing myriad challenges in both social & commercial sectors. Leveraging expertise in robotic arms, autonomous mobile robots (AMR/AGV) using optimal control, machine learning, motion planning and trajectory optimization to drive advancements in autonomous technologies. I am actively seeking to utilize my skills to devise innovative solutions for these complex issues.

Professional Experience

John Bean Technologies Corporation May 2024 – Present
Robotic Systems Engineer – Automated Forklifts

• Develop pick, drop, and stack operations for automated forklifts across various client-specific scenarios including automotive companies, ensuring optimal efficiency and maximum safety.
• Integrate and calibrate multiple sensors, including Sick laser sensors with Flexi Soft controller, laser-based lookout sensors, and navigation sensors, into forklifts
• Mapping & Path planning for efficient operations and implemented traffic management logic for fleet coordination
• Analyse warehouse and manufacturing facility layouts for clients and provide customized automated forklift solutions
• Develop load transfer methods between a conveyor and conveyor deck robot with omni-drive
• Implement robot to robot communication via centralized server when direct communication is physically not possible

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation May 2023 – August 2023
Robotics Engineering Intern – Autonomous Lawn Mower (Manual -> Fully Autonomous)

• Formulated a precise localization algorithm by interfacing sensors such as camera, RTKGPS, Lidar, IMU and wheel encoders, achieved ±3cm accuracy; incorporated udev rules for USB communication; used invariant extended Kalman filter
• Interfaced motors via ROS, implementing a differential drive controller for autonomous navigation
• Engineered a “pure pursuit” closed-loop line following controller with arc following
• Developed a robust mapping algorithm with frontier detection for autonomous exploration using C++

Barton Research Group @ University of Michigan January 2023 – April 2023
Research Assistant - Heterogenous Multi Robot Integration for End to End Automation in Manufacturing

• Deployed diverse robots (Toyota HSR, Kuka Kmr, Kawasaki Duaro) with a unified master controller, enabling shared sensing & seamless integration via ROS over WiFi; implemented SLAM, exploration for mapping & A* algorithm using C++
• • Researched on converting a centralized multi robot control & scheduling into a distributed system where all the different robot capabilities intermittently/continuously communicate with each other & gain information from each other

Itech Robotics and Automation pvt ltd. October 2021 – February 2022
Intern | Autonomous Mobile Robot Developer

• Added an extra axis to robotic arm and integrated with PLC controller to be used with teach pendant using structured text
• Wrote a new driver for ft servo motors to work with ROS for autonomous mobile robot development
• Implemented g-mapping, monte-carlo localization and used move-base navigation framework with ROS for SLAM
• Utilized lidar with Jetson Nano to map the surrounding and Fused sensor data from imu and encoders for odometry

Iotiot (iotiot.in) June 2019 – November 2020
Intern | Embedded Developer and Computer Vision Developer

• Developed C++ libraries for soil moisture, temperature sensors and stereo cameras, integrated with their operating system
• Led a team, developing a computer vision application to detect patient motion, triggering urgent medical aid signals

Project Experience

Model Predictive Control for Drone August 2023 – December 2023

• Modeled the drone dynamics in MATLAB using Newton’s equations of motion
• Formulated a constrained nonlinear optimization problem considering shortest path and obstacle avoidance
• Implemented nonlinear model predictive control for the defined problem using MATLAB & compared with PID controller

Loop Closure Detection using CLIP for SLAM (Simultaneous Localization & Mapping) January 2023 – April 2023

• Leveraging the vision-language model CLIP, we were able to achieve better accuracy in visual place recognition, surpassing the state-of-the-art (SoTA) performance
• Integrated our effective semantic loop closure detection system into SLAM setup, elevating its performance

ArmLab | Robotic Arm August 2022 – October 2022

• Employed the Interbotix Robotic (6 DOF) Arm to create a pick and place application using a depth camera
• Computed DH parameters and executed forward and inverse kinematics using Python alongside ROS
• Devised a block detection algorithm by segmenting blocks using computer vision techniques and calculating their coordinates in the real world using camera intrinsic and extrinsic matrices for pick and place and stacking operations

Education

• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor August 2022 – April 2024
  • Master of Science in Robotics (GPA 4/4)
  • Graduate student Instructor for Robotic Systems Laboratory (ROB550)
• Maharashtra Institute of Technology, World Peace University May 2022
  • Bachelor of Technology in Robotics and Automation (CGPA 9.61/10)

Technical Skills

• Programming languages: Python, C, C++, Julia, Ladder Logic

• Framework/ Libraries: Robot Operating System (ROS1 & ROS2), Pytorch, OpenCV, scikit-learn, Ceres

• Version Control: Git, Docker

• Operating systems: Windows, Linux

• Microprocessors and Microcontrollers: Raspberrypi, JetsonNano, tinkerboard, NodeMCU (UART, USART, I2C, SPI, MQTT, CAN)

• Software & Manufacturing: MATLAB, Gazebo Simulator, RViz, Robo-analyzer- Robot Kinematics, 3D – Printing, Fusion360

• Key Skills: Controls, Optimization, Motion Planning, Multi Agent Robotics Systems

Service and leadership

• Member of Tau Beta Pi