November 13 seminar: Arash Komaee

November 13, 2026

Design, Optimization, and Feedback Control of Noncontact Magnetic Manipulators

Arash Komaee, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

3:00 pm, UNM Centennial Engineering Center, Room 1026
Online Guests: Contact bidram@unm.edu for a Zoom link

Abstract: This talk outlines the speaker’s past and present efforts and future plans on the development of a new generation of noncontact magnetic manipulators comprising of arrays of permanent magnets to generate magnetic fields, and electromechanical actuators to flexibly shape them by mechanical movement of the magnets. Inside the workspace of a magnetic manipulator, the controlled magnetic field interacts with magnetized objects to exert magnetic forces for driving them in desired directions. By feedback control of the magnetic field, these objects can be precisely manipulated from a distance without any direct contact. This noncontact feature demonstrates a transformative potential for the advancement of novel, minimally invasive medical procedures in which magnetized surgical tools or drug carriers precisely navigate the natural pathways of the patient's body by feedback control of external magnetic fields. The speaker leads a research program aimed to establish a framework for design, optimization, modeling, and feedback control of magnetic manipulators, specifically based on permanent magnets. He expects that the outcome of his efforts will result in more compact and less expensive alternatives to the existing electromagnet-based designs.

Bio: Arash Komaee received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2008. He held post-doctoral research positions with the Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, and the School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas. He is currently an Associate Professor with the School of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. His research interests are in the areas of stochastic optimal control, nonlinear systems, and estimation theory. He specifically applies these areas to a variety of problems in noncontact control of magnetic objects for biomedical and microrobotic applications. Dr. Komaee is the recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award.