Dr. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou

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Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Ph.D., P.E.
EDI Faculty Advisor

Intelligent Structures and Systems Laboratory

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Irvine

E2123 Engineering Gateway Building, Irvine, CA 92697

Email: farzad.a@uci.edu

Web: http://faculty.sites.uci.edu/farzad/

Company web sites: BluAtomVR, Intelligent Design Technology, ISA: Intelligent Sensor and Actuator,

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS

Dr. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou is president and founder of Intelligent Design Technology LLC. He also serves as a faculty advisor for Engineering Design in Industry (EDI) Program at the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. He has been involved in multidisciplinary research and development for the last 25 years in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Structural Engineering, and Computer Science. His core area of interest lies in the area of dynamic systems with an emphasis in modeling, design, and control of smart material systems, hybrid vehicles, and haptic devices. He has been involved in the following multidomain applications incorporating smart materials: advanced automotive systems, telerobotic systems, additive manufacturing, and computer software development. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of California and the author of over 30 technical publications in accredited journals, conference proceedings, and technical reports.

 

EDUCATION

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

 Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering

 Dissertation: Design, Modeling and Control of Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Force Feedback Dampers for Telerobotic Systems

 Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering


University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

 Master of Science,  Structural Engineering

 Thesis: Study of Column Base Plates under General Loading

 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering

 

SPECIALTIES AND RESEARCH INTERESTS

Smart Materials and Structures, Magneto-Rheological (MR) fluids, Haptics and force feedback, Telerobotics, Intelligent Systems, Control, Hybrid Vehicles, Composite Materials, Software Development, FEM, CFD.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (Academic)

University of California, Irvine

Intelligent Structures and Systems Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Irvine

Visiting Project Scientist

  • Preparing proposals for National Science Foundation.
  • Additive manufacturing, 3D printing
  • Modeling, designing, and controlling Magnetorheological (MR) fluid based devices used in force feedback and telerobotic systems.

 

The Ohio State University

Intelligent Structures and Systems Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Graduate Research Associate

  • Assisted preparing a proposal for National Science Foundation.
  • Modeled, designed, formulated, and controlled electromechanical and Magnetorheological (MR) fluid based devices used in force feedback and telerobotic systems.
  • Proposed and derived a new microstructural kinetic-based model to predict the behavior of MR fluids
  • Formulated and characterized MR fluids using micron sized Carbonyl iron powder and silicone oils. The maximum shear stress was comparable to commercial ones in the market.
  • Designed, prototyped, and controlled a 2-DOF MR fluid-based joystick and tested it in a tracking system, and a 5-DOF MR fluid-based manipulator used in telerobotic system (one novel application is in minimally invasive surgery).
  • Prototyped and tested two MR fluid-based orthopaedic knee braces (passive and semi-active).
  • Built a force feedback steer-by-wire device and developed a GUI for controlling the system in virtual reality environment.
  • Developed a fully interactive object-oriented software package for modeling MR fluids and designing MR based devices such as MR damper and MR brake.
  • Controlled beam vibration using piezoelectric actuators and sensors (PPF control algorithm).
  • Supervised undergraduate students on making and testing MR fluids and MR fluid based devices as well as paper and poster publications.

 

Knowledge Engineering Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

 Graduate Research Assistant

  • Researched the cost optimization of concrete slabs using a neural dynamics model, and developed an interactive software package.
  • Researched the application of MR dampers to the control of smart structures.
  • Proposed and investigated an innovative way of generating the electric power required in semi-active control of smart civil structures

 

University of Tehran

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Instructor

  • Taught a comprehensive course on “Steel Structures” for applicants of graduate school entrance exam.

Teaching Assistant

  • Taught “Design of Steel Structures” and “Advanced Design of Steel Structures”

 

Tehran Institute of Technology, Tehran, Iran

Instructor

-     Taught commonly used structural software for modeling and designing: DESIGN, SAP, SAPSTL, ETABS, and STEELER.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (Industrial)

Intelligent Design Technology LLC, Torrance, California

 President and Founder

  • Developing and marketing structural and mechanical engineering software packages for educational and industrial applications.
  • Offering consulting services in mechanical and structural engineering disciplines.
  • Preparing provisional and utility patents, trademarks, and copyright applications.
  • Writing technical proposals and grants.

 

 US Hybrid Corporation, Torrance, California

 Scientist, Senior Mechanical Engineer

  • Lead engineer on performing stress and vibration analysis, design of mechanical systems, and material selection (aerospace and automotive applications)
  • Lead engineer on CFD thermal/flow modeling and design of power electronic systems, DC-DC converters, magnetics, electric motors, fuel cells, ultracaps, and batteries (aerospace and automotive applications)
  • Lead engineer on modeling and application of dual battery and hybrid energy storage systems
  • Lead engineer on system-based performance, power-train modeling and simulation, energy management, and component sizing of parallel/series HEV, PHEV, EV systems, and streetcars.
  • Project engineer on design and development of composite materials, such as carbon fibers, and application of smart materials, such as MRF, in hybrid and electric vehicles
  • Developed optimization algorithm for exportable power-based vehicles in smart grids
  • Prepare and write proposals, technical papers (conference and journal), patents, and technical presentations

 

Rayan-Sazeh Company, Tehran, Iran

Software Development Partner and Co-Manager

  • Developed fully interactive object-oriented computer software, called "DESIGN", for modeling and designing residential and industrial steel and concrete structures.
  • Commercialized the aforementioned developed software “DESIGN” by advertising and establishing the customer service department. Six commercial versions have been released. More than 500 companies, institutes, consultants, and engineers have been using this package.

 

Municipality of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Invited Consultant and Advising Engineer

  • Controlled and verified structural engineers' design calculations for structural modeling, SAP/ETABS/STAAD input files, element design, foundations, and detailing for steel and concrete structures based on city and national code.

 

Rah-Shahr International Engineering Company (registered with UNIDO and World Bank), Tehran, Iran

Software Analyst/Developer and Structural Engineer

  • Modeled and designed several residential and industrial steel and concrete structures and developed engineering toolboxes for this purpose.

 

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

  •  Invited Judge: Conrad Foundation’s Spirit of Innovation Awards, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, April 2011.
  • Technical Reviewer: Institute of Physics (IOP), Smart Materials and Structures, 2008 to present.
  • Technical Reviewer: ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC), Las Vegas, Nevada, September 2007.
  • Technical Reviewer: International Conference on Nonlinear Science and Complexity, Beijing, China, August 2006.
  • Technical Reviewer: The 10th International Conference on Electrorheological Fluids and Magnetorheological Suspensions, Lake Tahoe, CA, June 2006.
  • Technical Reviewer: Chassis Systems Symposium of the SAE Automotive Dynamic Stability and Controls Conference, 2006.
  • Judge: Denman Research Forum, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, May 2006

 

 

PATENTS, INVENTIONS AND LICENSED SOFTWARE

  • US Provisional Patent, “A Magnetorheological Fluid-based Orthopaedic Knee Brace”, Tech ID #08081, The Ohio State University, filed on 1/25/2008.
  • Inventions: (1) 2D haptic joystick, (2) 5D haptic system, (3) multi-axis force sensor, (4) MR fluid based knee brace, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
  • Licensed Software: DESIGN, structural designing software, License # 100062, Iran (2000). Six commercial versions have been released since 1985.
  • Developed Software: (1) Professional file organizer, (2) MR fluid modeling and system design software (licensing in progress) , The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

 

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • 2nd place in Engineering, Hayes Graduate Research Forum, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, April 2008
  • Best Paper Runner up, 12th SPIE International Symposium, March 2005, San Diego, CA
  • Graduate Research Assistantship, The Ohio State University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, April 2004-Present
  • Fellowship, The Ohio State University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Winter 2003-April 2004
  • Graduate Research Assistantship, The Ohio State University, Department of Civil Engineering, Fall 2001-Spring 2002
  • Selected for the Top 20 Students in the first Scientific Olympiad Competitions held nationwide among all the universities, Iran, 1996
  • Best Paper of Department of Structural Engineering, 4th Conference of Civil Engineering Students, Iran University of Science and Technology, 1996
  • Ranked top 0.1% in nationwide university entrance exam, Iran, August 1991

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society (2008-present), Membership in Sigma Xi is by nomination.
  • Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE (2008-present)
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME (2006-present)
  • The International Society for Optical Engineering, SPIE (2006-present)
  • The Ohio State University Alumni (2005-present)
  • National Society of Professional Engineers, NSPE (2004-present)
  • American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE (2001-2003)

 

PUBLICATIONS

Refereed Journals

  1. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou and Gregory N. Washington “Magneto-Rheological Fluid Modeling, Analysis, and Design (MRFMAD) Toolbox”, to be Submitted to Computer Applications in Engineering Education
  2. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Gregory N. Washington, and Stephen Bechtel “Modeling and Control of 5-Degree of Freedom Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Master Robotic System”, to be Submitted to International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery
  3. M. Mahboob, C. Kagarise, F. Ahmadkhanlou, K. Koelling, G. Washington, and S.E. Bechtel, "Magnetorheological Properties and Model Predictions of Suspensions of Carbonyl Iron Particles in Silicone Oil", the Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (In Review)
  4. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Monon Mahboob, Stephen Bechtel, Gregory Washington, “An Improved Model for Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Actuators and Sensors”, Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, January 2010, vol. 21 no.1, pp3-18
  5. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Gregory N. Washington, and Stephen Bechtel “Modeling and Control of Single and Two Degree of Freedom Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Haptic Systems for Telerobotic Surgery”, Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, July 2009, vol. 20 no. 10, pp1171-1186
  6. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Monon Mahboob, Stephen Bechtel, and Gregory Washington, " Experiments and Models of the Magneto Rheological Behavior of High Weight Percent Suspensions of Carbonyl Iron Particles in Silicone Oil", Journal of Fluids Engineering, December 2008, Vol. 130, 121301
  7. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou and Hojjat Adeli, "Optimum cost design of reinforced concrete slabs using neural dynamics model", Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 2005, Vol. 18, pp 65–72

 

Refereed Conferences

  1. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou and Abas Goodarzi, "Dual Battery System for Commercial Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles", Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress, Rosemont, Illinois, September 13-14, 2011
  2. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou and Abas Goodarzi, "Hybrid Lithium-ion/Ultracap Energy Storage Systems for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles" 2011 Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference, Chicago, September 7-9, 2011
  3. Ali Nabavi Niaki, Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Abas Goodarzi, and Reza Iravani, “Local and Global Optimization of Exportable Vehicle Power based Smart Microgrid”, IEEE PES Conference on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies, Anaheim, CA, January 2011
  4. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Abas Goodarzi, and Don Kang, “Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle with Dual Battery System”, 25th World Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS25), China, November 2010
  5. Monon Mahboob, Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Stephen Bechtel, and Gregory Washington, "Predicting Magnetorheological Fluid Flow Behavior Using a Multiscale Kinetic Theory-Based Model", 16th SPIE International Symposium, 8-12 March 2009, San Diego, CA
  6. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Gregory Washington, and Stephen Bechtel, "The Development of a Five DOF Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Telerobotic Haptic System", 15th SPIE International Symposium, 9-13 March 2008, San Diego, CA
  7. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Gregory Washington, and Stephen Bechtel, "Design, Modeling, and Control of Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Force Feedback Systems", NSF Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovations, 7-10 January 2008, Knoxville, TN
  8. Christopher Kagarise, Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Monon Mahboob, Stephen Bechtel, and Gregory N. Washington “Experiments and Models of the Magneto Rheological Behavior of High Weight Percent Suspensions of Carbonyl Iron Particles in Silicone Oil”, ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, 11-15 November 2007 Seattle, Washington (presentation only)
  9. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Jamaal L. Zite, and Gregory N. Washington, “A Magnetorheological Fluid Based Controllable Active Knee Brace”, 14th SPIE International Symposium, 18-22-March 2007, San Diego, CA
  10. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Gregory Washington, and Stephen Bechtel, "Analysis and Development of Magnetorheological Fluid Based Transparent Haptic Systems", Proceedings of the 10th Electrorheological Fluids and Magnetorheological Suspensions Conference, Lake Tahoe, June 2006
  11. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Gregory Washington, Yingru Wang, Stephen Bechtel, "Magnetorheological Fluid Based Automotive Steer-By-Wire Systems", 13th SPIE International Symposium, Feb 22-March 3 2006, San Diego, CA
  12. Jamaal L. Zite, Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Vijay A. Neelakantan, and Gregory N. Washington, “A Magnetorheological Fluid Based Orthopaedic Active Knee Brace”, 13th SPIE International Symposium, Feb 22-March 3 2006, San Diego, CA
  13. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Gregory Washington, Yingru Wang, Stephen Bechtel, "The Development of Variably Compliant Haptic Systems using Magnetorheological Fluids", 12th SPIE International Symposium, March 6-10 2005, San Diego, CA (Best Paper Runner Up)
  14. Stephen Bechtel, Gregory Washington, Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, and Yingru Wang, "Microstructural Analysis and Control of Magneto-Rheological Fluid", Proceedings of ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress, November 15-17, 2004, Anaheim, CA.
  15. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, “Design version 1.4”, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference of Civil Engineering Students, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, 1995, Tehran, Iran (Best Paper).

 

Non-Refereed Conferences

  1. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, “Design: Structural Engineering Software”, Proceeding of the 1st Technical and Scientific Conference of Civil Engineers, 1999, Tehran, Iran.
  2. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, S. Rasoul Mirghaderi, “Study of Column Base Plate under biaxial Loading”, Proceeding of the 1st Technical and Scientific Conference of Civil Engineers, 1999, Tehran, Iran.
  3. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, “Design version 2.5”, Proceedings of the 4th Conference of Civil Engineering Students, Iran University of Science and Technology, 1996, Tehran, Iran.

 

Poster

  1. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Gregory Washington, and Stephen Bechtel, "Design, Modeling, and Control of Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Force Feedback Systems", NSF Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovations, 7-10 January 2008, Knoxville, TN
  2. Jamaal L. Zite, Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Vijay A. Neelakantan, and Gregory N. Washington, “A Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Orthopedic Knee Brace”, OSEA Forum, The Ohio State University, August 18, 2006, Columbus, OH
  3. Tamika Rentas, Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, and Gregory N. Washington, “A Door Locking Mechanism Using A Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Hinge”, OSEA Forum, The Ohio State University, August 18, 2006, Columbus, OH
  4. Jamaal L. Zite, Farzad Ahmadkhanlou, Vijay A. Neelakantan, and Gregory N. Washington, “A Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Active Knee Brace”, Denman Undergraduate Research Forum, The Ohio State University, May 17, 2006, Columbus, OH

 

Manuals

  1. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou "MRFMAD: Magneto-Rheological Fluid Modeling, Analysis, and Design Toolbox ", User Manual, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, March 2008
  2. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou "DESIGN: Structural Designing Program, version 5.8", User Manual, Rayan Sazeh Company, Tehran, Iran, March 2001
  3. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou "DESIGN: Structural Designing Program, version 4.7", User Manual, Rah Shahr Company, Tehran, Iran, April 1999

 

Developed Software Packages

  1. Magneto-Rheological Fluid Modeling, Analysis, and Design (MRFMAD) Intelligent Structures and Systems Lab, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 2008
  2. Professional File Organizer (PFO), The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 2006
  3. Cost optimization of reinforced concrete slabs, Kknowledge Engineering Lab, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 2002
  4. DESIGN: Structural designing software for modeling and designing steel and concrete structures, foundations, and connections, Rayan-Sazeh Company, Tehran, Iran, 2001