Research

Currently, at CSNAP four major projects are underway.  The first project is focused on the networked micro-navigation sensor development. In this work my students and I are developing a small navigation sensor to determine the position and the orientation using inertial measurement unit, Global Positioning System receiver, and lasers. This micro-navigation sensor will use micro-electromechanical system parts to reduce the size; and it will utilize two laser beams to autonomously align the navigation sensor.  This project is sponsored by the NSF.

The second project is developing the cooperative satellite control project.  Here, the objective is to autonomously control a group of satellites with minimal intervention from the ground control station. The idea is to use hierarchical control theory, optimal control theory, and hybrid automata theory to cooperatively control a number of satellites.  The sponsor for this project is the Air Force Research Laboratory.

The third project is the statistical control theory project.  Here, we are developing statistical control theory. In statistical control, we view the cost function as a random variable and optimize the distribution of the cost function. This generalizes the classical linear quadratic Gaussian control. My collaborators and I have already developed the linear version of statistical control theory; and currently I am working on the nonlinear version. In this work, I investigate the characteristics of linear statistical control theory, develop nonlinear statistical control, and study the relations between statistical control and dynamic game theory. This work will be a starting point for the nonlinear statistical control theory development. My long term goal is to completely develop—linear, nonlinear, full state feedback, output feedback, finite time horizon, infinite time horizon—statistical control theory and apply it to various aerospace applications.  This project was supported by Army Research Office.

The last project, that CSNAP is involved in is the biosensing project.  Often doctors and surgeons rely on their touch sensation to diagnose or identify the diseased regions, however, palpation as a method of pathology is highly dependent upon the skills of practitioner. A detailed study of palpation would improve the current medical procedures and new doctor training. Development of a reliable tactile sensing system would immensely benefit the medical community, but the development of a sensing system that quantifies and displays the tactile sensation have been inadequately addressed. Perhaps this is due to the complex nature of how the tactile sensation process. Tactile sensation is a complex process that needs to be addressed as a system. In this project, we propose to design, build, and test a sensor that will able to image the tactile sensation of an object. From this image, we obtain the mechanical properties such as elasticity of the contacting as well as embedded objects. The developed sensory imaging system will efficiently measure, record, and recreate tactile information. The potential application of the device is in detecting the stone in gall bladder, screening for the possible lumps in the breast, and localizing the damaged tissues in lungs, among others.

Past  research activities  include remote sensing imager development at Electronic and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and the University of North Dakota. AT ETRI, Dr. Won was involved in developing a ground control station for remote sensing satellite.  The CSNAP director was involved in two National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) projects with UMAC at the University of North Dakota; Agricultural Camera (AgCam) and Airborne Environmental Research Observational Camera (AEROCam). The objectives of both these projects are to provide farmers and ranchers with reliable remote sensing data for precision land management.