The goal of the SMART Lab's research is to enable multiple robots to collaborate with each other in a distributed way and to flexibly interact with any humans, in any situation, anywhere. To do so, we combine the practical and theoretical for maximal impact, and the scope of our research includes robotic fundamentals to robot development, as well as system design and integration of robotics technology and algorithms. Our current research topics include multi-robot systems, human-robot interaction, and robot design & control, with focus on applications in field robotics and assistive technology and robotics. Please visit the links on the left of this page and the publication section for information regarding specific projects ongoing in the SMART Lab.
The SMART Lab operates its own YouTube Channel where you can watch lab's past and current project demo videos and its introductory video, etc. Also, the lab operates its own GitHub repositories where you can check out and download lab's past and current project programming codes. To visit our YouTube Channel and GitHub repositories, click the logos below!
Current Funded Projects in the SMART Lab are:
CAREER: Adaptive Human Multi-robot
Systems, Role: PI, Sponsor: National Science Foundation,
Amount: $500,000 (02/15/2019 - 01/31/2024). (Link)
PRF Research Grants: Human-Delivery Robot Social
Interaction for Last-mile Delivery, Role: PI, Sponsor: Purdue
University, Amount: $30,000 (05/10/2020 - 09/15/2021). 
Reconfigurable Cyber-Physical Simulators for
Multi-Robot Systems, Role: PI, Sponsor: Purdue Polytechnic
Institute, Amount: $8,000 (08/01/2020 - 06/30/2019). Wheeled Mobile Parallel Robots with Hybrid
Moving and Manipulation Functions, Role: Co-PI (PI: Dongming
Gan), Sponsor: Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Amount: $8,000
(08/01/2020 - 06/30/2019). 
18-19 Laboratory and University Core
Facility Research Equipment Program: Acquisition of a Modular
Robotic Walkway for Development and Testing of Soft Assistive
Exoskeletons, Role: Co-PI (PI: Richard Voyles), Sponsor:
Purdue University, Amount: $169,845 (01/01/2019 - 12/31/2019).
CPS: Medium: Collaborative
Research: Closed Loop Sustainable Precision Animal
Agriculture, Role: Co-PI (PI: Richard Voyles), Sponsor:
National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Amount: $541,448
(09/01/2018 - 08/31/2021). (Link)
- PFI-RP: Partnerships for Innovation
in Interoperable Building Information Modeling Technology
for Applications in Automated Building Code Compliance
Checking and Modular Construction Automation, Role: Co-PI
(Jiansong Zhang), Sponsor: National Science Foundation,
Amount: $915,597 (09/15/2018 - 08/31/2021). (Link)
Mobile Crowd Sensing for Sustainability
Challenges: A Behavioral Approach to Inducing User
Participation, Role: Co-PI (David J. Yu), Sponsor: Purdue
Center for the Environment, Amount: $15,000 (06/01/2018 -
06/30/2019). 
UNSA NEXUS: Robotic Water Quality Monitoring and
Distribution Systems: A Pilot Study, Role: PI, Sponsor:
Universidad Nacional de San Agustin, Amount: $365,439
(01/01/2018 - 12/31/2020). (Link) 
Cybersecurity and Safety Challenges in Autonomous
Vehicles: Threats Identification and Countermeasures
Development, Role: PI, Sponsor: National Institute of Justice,
Amount: $147,131 (08/01/2017 - 12/31/2020).
I/UCRC Phase I: Robots and Sensors for the Human
Well-being, Role: Senior Personnel (PI: Richard Voyles),
Sponsor: National Science Foundation, Amount: $637,202
(09/15/2014 - 08/31/2020). (Link)
Workshop to Explore US/Korean Collaboration in
Human-Friendly Co-Robotic Technologies, Role: Co-PI (PI:
Richard Voyles), Sponsor: National Science Foundation, Amount:
$14,980 (09/01/2017 - 03/31/2020). (Link)
Past Funded Projects are:
PRF Research Grants: Towards Autonomous Robotic
Systems for Control of Harmful Algae Blooms, Role: PI,
Sponsor: Purdue University, Amount: $30,144 (05/10/2018 -
09/14/2019). Distributed Multi-robot Systems for Autonomous
Construction, Role: PI, Sponsor: Purdue Polytechnic Institute,
Amount: $8,000 (11/01/2018 - 06/30/2019). Developing Crancobots to Support Automated
Construction of Buildings, Role: Co-PI (PI: Jiansong Zhang),
Sponsor: Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Amount: $8,000
(11/01/2018 - 06/30/2019). 17-18 Laboratory and University Core
Facility Research Equipment Program: Acquisition of Multiple
Mobile Robot Platforms, Role: PI, Sponsor: Purdue University,
Amount: $83,500 (01/01/2018 - 12/31/2018). (Link) Drone-based Visual Inspection for Airplane,
Role: PI, Sponsor: Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Amount:
$8,000 (04/01/2018 - 06/30/2018). Collaborative Interdisciplinary Machine Learning
Research Infrastructure, Role: Co-PI (PI: Vetria Byrd),
Sponsor: Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Amount: $8,000
(04/01/2018 - 06/30/2018). Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) Summer Faculty
Research Grant, Role: PI, Sponsor: Purdue University, Amount:
$8,000 (06/01/2017 - 07/31/2017). Provost Major Equipment Grant:
Bi-Manual Dexterous Manipulation for Intuitive Autonomy, Role:
Co-PI (PI: Richard Voyles), Sponsor: Purdue University,
Amount: $144,732 (07/01/2016 - 06/31/2017). 
Sejong-Purdue Program 2016, Role:
Co-PI (PI: Eric T. Matson), Sponsor: Sejong University, Korea,
Amount: $89,998 (05/01/2016 - 12/31/2016). 
KyungPook National-IITP-Purdue Summer Software
Program, Role: Co-PI (PI: Eric T. Matson), Sponsor: Kyungpook
National University, Korea, Amount: $45,426 (05/01/2016 -
12/31/2016).