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Marc Killpack

Associate Professor
Mechanical Engineering

360E EB
Provo, UT 84602

Biography

Office Hours:

Winter 2024
Monday 3:30-4 PM
Tuesday 3-4 PM
Friday 11 AM – 12 PM
(All office hours located in 153 CB)

Research

Soft Robots, Human-Robot Interaction, Controls, Robot Manipulation, Computer vision and 3D Sensing, Haptic Sensing
Rad Lab

Biography
Graduate Students
Publications
Courses

Marc Killpack completed his Ph.D. in Robotics from the Georgia Institute of Technology and joined BYU as an Assistant Professor in December of 2013. His areas of expertise include soft robotics, human-robot interaction, controls, mechanics and perception for robotics and other automated systems. His current research interests relate to improving modeling and control for robot manipulation in unstructured and difficult environments. This includes applications related to search and rescue, disaster response and human robot interaction. While at Georgia Tech in the Healthcare Robotics Lab (HRL), Marc worked on projects including sensing and control for mobile robot bases, automating learning from robot grasping, manipulation around and interacting with human subjects, and control of a robot arm in cluttered and unmodeled environments. Prior to joining HRL, he completed Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering from both Georgia Tech and AM Paris Tech (formerly ENSAM) in Metz, France. In 2007, Marc graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University.

Graduate students:

  • Levi Rupert (Ph.D. Student)
  • Philip Hyatt (Ph.D. Student)
  • Mat Haskell (Ph.D. Student)
  • Devin Wheelwright (MS/MBA Student)
  • Seth Freeman (MS Student)
  • Tyler Quackenbush (MS Student)

Graduated:

  • Charles Best (MS Student) - Raytheon
  • Morgan Gillespie (MS Student) - L3
  • Joshua Wilson (MS Student) - Ford
  • Eric Townsend (MS Student) - SkyTech Robotics
  • Daniel Bodily (MS Student) - 3M Research Engineer
  • Dustan Kraus (MS Student) - Raytheon
  • Nathan Day (MS Student) - AUBO robotics
  • Vallan Sherrod (MS Student) - SISU Robotics
  • Erich Mielke (MS Student) - 3M Research Engineer
  • Jon Terry (MS Student) - SISU Robotics

Refereed Journal Articles:

  • Jain*, A., Killpack*, M., Edsinger, A., and Kemp, C.C., “Reaching in Clutter with Whole-Arm Tactile Sensing”, International Journal of Robotics Research, 2013, Sage.* - equally contributing authors
  • Killpack, M., Abed-Meraim F., “Limit-point buckling analysis using the assumed strain continuum shell element SHB8PS”, Journal of mechanical science and technology, 2011, Springer.

Refereed Conference Articles:

  • Killpack, M., and Kemp, C.C., “Fast Reaching in Clutter While Regulating Forces Using Model Predictive Control”, IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots, 2013. (Nominated for best paper)
  • Bhattacharjee, T., Jain, A., Vaish, S., Killpack, M. D., and Kemp, C. C., “Tactile sensing over articulated joints with stretchable sensors,” IEEE World Haptics Conference, 2013.
  • Grice, P., Killpack, M., Jain, A., Vaish, S., Hawke, J., and Kemp, C.C., “Whole-arm tactile sensing for beneficial and acceptable contact during robotic assistance,” International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, 2013.
  • Killpack, M., Deyle, T., Anderson, C., Kemp, C.C., ""Visual Odometry and Control for an Omnidirectional Mobile Robot with a Downward-Facing Camera,"" IROS 2010.
  • Book, W.J., Winck, R., Killpack, M., Huggins, J., Dickerson, S., Collins, T., Prado, R., and Jayaraman, S., “Automated garment manufacturing system using novel sensing and actuation,” Proceedings of 2010 ISFA 2010 International Symposium on Flexible Automation, 2010.
  • King, C.-H., Killpack, M., and Kemp, C.C., “Effects of force feedback and arm compliance on teleoperation of an assistive robot for hygiene,” Proceedings of Eurohaptics, 2010.

Technical Reports:

  • Killpack, M., ""Automated Tracking and Control of Non-rigid Cloth,"" 2012.

In Preparation:

  • Killpack, M., Mathews, J., Hawkins, K., and Kemp, C.C., “Design of System for High-Throughput Data Capture of Autonomous Robot Manipulation,” 2013.
  • Killpack, M., Kapusta, A., and Kemp C.C., ""Improvements in Time Efficiency for Reaching in Clutter While Controlling Forces Using Model Predictive Control"".

Me En 335 Dynamic System Modeling

Me En 363 Instrumentation

Me En 362 Engineering Measurements

Me En 537 Robotics

Research Interests

soft robot control; model predictive, optimal, and adaptive control; optimal and adaptive estimation for soft robot platforms; human-robot interaction, shared control and teleoperation; tactile and force sensing; 2D and 3D perception for manipulation; robot dynamics and mechanics; mechanical robot design and optimization

Teaching Interests

introductory and advanced robot kinematics and dynamics; classical, linear, nonlinear, and optimal control; system dynamics; computer vision and perception; numerical methods and programming; instrumentation, and mechatronics

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Robotics, Mechanics, Controls, Perception , Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology (2013)
  • Master Professionnel, Manufacturing , Arts et Métiers ParisTech (formerly Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et de Métiers) (2008)
  • Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Controls and Dynamics , Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech Lorraine) (2008)
  • Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering, , Brigham Young University (2007)

Honors and Awards

  • Early Career Teaching Award, BYU (2023 - 2023)
  • Excellence in Research Award, BYU Department of Mechanical Engineering (2021 - 2021)
  • Most Influential Faculty Award, BYU Department of Mechanical Engineering (2020 - 2020)
  • Outstanding Teaching Award, BYU Department of Mechanical Engineering (2019 - 2019)
  • Early Career Faculty Award, NASA (2014 - 2017)
  • Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award, BYU Department of Mechanical Engineering (2016 - 2016)

Memberships

  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2019 - Present)
  • IEEE Control Systems Society (2014 - Present)
  • IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (2014 - Present)

Professional Citizenship

  • Editor, Associate Editor, International Journal of Robotics Research (IJRR) (2023 - Present)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, IEEE Control Systems Magazine (2022 - Present)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, IEEE Control Systems Technology (2022 - Present)
  • Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, National Science Foundation (2017 - Present)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Soft Robotics (2015 - Present)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, IEEE Conferences (2010 - Present)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Frontiers in Robotics and AI (2020 - 2021)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine (2020 - 2021)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, International Journal or Robotics Research (2019 - 2021)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Robotics: Science and Systems Conference (2019 - 2021)
  • Editor, Associate Editor, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (2017 - 2021)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (2017 - 2021)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, IEEE Transactions on Robotics (2010 - 2021)
  • Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, German Research Foundation (DFE)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, IEEE Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) Workshop Reviewer
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, IEEE Transactions on Haptics (2020 - 2020)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, PLOS ONE (2020 - 2020)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Mechatronics (2019 - 2019)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Nonlinear Dynamics (2019 - 2019)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Robotics and Autonomous Systems (2019 - 2019)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics (2012 - 2018)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Applied Mathematical Modeling (2017 - 2017)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Bioinspiration & Biomimetics (2017 - 2017)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Frontiers in Neurorobotics (2016 - 2016)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering (2015 - 2016)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Field Robotics (2015 - 2016)
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics (2014 - 2014)

Courses Taught

Publications

Vallan Sherrod Curtis Johnson Marc D Killpack Charles Best Levi Rupert Marc D Killpack Levi Rupert Benjamin O Saunders Marc D Killpack Curtis C. Johnson Tyler Quackenbush Taylor Sorensen David Wingate Marc D Killpack Levi Rupert Timothy Duggan Marc D Killpack Spencer W Jensen John L Salmon Marc D Killpack Phillip Hyatt Curtis C. Johnson Marc D Killpack Dustan Kraus Alex Jensen Marc D Killpack Phillip Hyatt Marc D Killpack David Wingate Phil Hyatt Marc D Killpack John Terry Justin Whitaker Randal Winston Beard Marc D Killpack Phillip Hyatt David Wingate Marc D. Killpack Phillip Hyatt Dustan Kraus Vallan Sherrod Levi Rupert Nathan Day Marc D Killpack Jace Rozsa Marc D Killpack Michael Rice Erich Mielke Eric Townsend David Wingate Marc D Killpack Morgan Gillespie Charles M. Best Eric Townsend David Wingate Marc D Killpack Nathan Day Jimmy Penaloza Veronica J. Santos Marc D Killpack Jonathan Terry Levi Rupert Marc D Killpack Erich Mielke Eric Townsend David Wingate Marc D Killpack Phillip Hyatt Marc D Killpack Erich Mielke Eric Townsend Marc D Killpack Daniel Bodily Thomas Allen Marc D Killpack Daniel Bodily Thomas Allen Marc D Killpack Joshua P. Wilson Charles M. Best Marc D Killpack Marc D Killpack Ariel Kapusta Charles C Kemp Charles M Best Morgan Gillespie Phillip Hyatt Levi Rupert Vallan Sherrod Marc D Killpack Morgan Gillespie Charles M Best Marc D Killpack Levi Rupert Phillip Hyatt Marc D Killpack Charles M Best Joshua P Wilson Marc D Killpack Tapomayukh Bhattacharjee Phillip M Grice Ariel Kapusta Marc D Killpack Daehyung Park Charles C. Kemp Marc D Killpack Marc D Killpack Charles C Kemp Marc D Killpack Marc D Killpack Charles C. Kemp Philip M. Grice Marc D Killpack Advait Jain Sarvagya Vaish Jeffrey Hawke Charles C. Kemp Tapomayukh Bhattacharjee Sarvagya Vaish Advait Jain Marc D Killpack Charles C. Kemp Advait Jain Marc D Killpack Aaron Edsinger Charles C. Kemp Marc D Killpack Farid Abed-Meraim Marc D Killpack Farid Abed-Meraim Marc D Killpack Travis Deyle Cressel Anderson Charles C. Kemp Wayne J. Book Ryder C. Winck Marc D Killpack James D. Huggins Steve L. Dickerson Sundaresan Jayaraman Thomas R. Collins Ronald J. Prado Chih-Hung King Marc D Killpack Charles C. Kemp

Presentations

Christian Sorensen Marc D. Killpack
Haley Sanders Marc D Killpack
Dinah Bronson Austin Stone Marc D Killpack
Joshua Schultz Haley Sanders Phuc Duc Hong Bui Brett Layer Marc D Killpack
Spencer Jensen Curtis Johnson Alexa Lindberg Marc D Killpack
Christian Sorensen Phillip Hyatt Matthew Ricks Seth Nielsen Marc D Killpack
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Joshua Schultz Phuc Duc Hong Bui Haley Sanders Marc D Killpack
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Erich Mielke Eric Townsend David Wingate Marc D Killpack
Nathan Day Marc D Killpack
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Levi Rupert Charles Best Morgan Gillespie Phillip Hyatt Marc D Killpack Joshua Wilson
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Marc D Killpack Eric Townsend
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Marc D Killpack Charles C. Kemp