Keynote Lectures

Keynote lectures in The Eigthth Joint International Conference on Multibody System Dynamics will be held by the following speakers (in alphabetical order) (Work in progress):
  • Elena Celledoni, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway)
  • Daniel Dopico, University of La Coruña (Spain)
  • Inna Sharf, McGill University (Canada)
  • Quirong Tang, Tongji University (P. R. China)
Daniel Dopico

Optimization of the dynamics of multibody systems and applications.
The optimization of multibody systems atracted some interest from the early starts of the discipline but the possibilities and the number of works published shot up in the last decade. Nowadays, the dynamics of multibody systems is satisfactorily solved by many codes in a general fashion, using different coordinates and formulations of the equations of motion. For this reason, the focus was moved to more complex problems like the desgin optimization and optimal control of multibody systems. This talk focus on the optimization of the dynamics of multibody systems, considering both rigid and flexible bodies and its application to different types of problems, some of them classical or academic and some industrial applications.
For optimization of simple systems based on the dynamic response with few parameters, gradient-free optimization methods can be acceptable, or even convenient, but for large systems and/or large number of parameters the so-called global optimization methods render prohibitive in terms of computational time and gradient based methods arise as the best solution to the problem.
Sensitivity analysis of MBS is the discipline needed for calculating gradients of objective functions dependent on the dynamic response of the system and it adds great complexity on top to the regular dynamics simulations, specially for flexible multibody systems. Different techniques available for sensitivity analysis will be visited in this talk, as well as techniques to calculate the derivatives of the equations of motion terms involved in the sensitivity equations



Bio:
Daniel Dopico became Associate Professor at University of La Coruña (Spain) in 2010 focused on real-time formulations for the dynamics of multibody systems and he was research scientist at Virginia Tech (USA) in 2012 and 2013 where his interest on sensitivity analysis and optimization of multibody systems started. His current research interests are formulations and sensitivity-based optimization methods for rigid and flexible multibody dynamics, topic on which he has been working during the last 14 years. He is the main developer of MBSLIM: general code for the dynamics, sensitivity analysis and gradient based optimization of multibody systems.


Inna Sharf

Multibody Dynamics Simulation in Robotics: Use-cases,  Applications and Challenges.
Multibody dynamics (MBD) simulation tools have become indispensable to robotics researchers and practitioners, forming a core part of modern robot design, analysis, and control. Today, a wide range of commercial and open-source MBD simulators are available, many of which are widely adopted across diverse robotic applications. In this talk, I will begin by outlining key use-cases for multibody dynamics modeling in robotics and provide a comparative overview of leading simulation platforms. I will then illustrate how these tools have supported our research through two contrasting case studies: one focused on the dynamics of space debris capture and on-orbit servicing, and the other on the development of autonomous log-loading machinery for forestry operations. Drawing from these experiences, I will discuss several challenges encountered when using commercial simulation software, with particular attention to the modeling of contact interactions.



Bio:
Dr. Inna Sharf is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Sharf conducts research in robotics and autonomous systems with applications to space robotics and sustainable timber harvesting. Sharf has worked on problems related to space debris remediation, on-orbit servicing and more recently, autonomy for timber-harvesting machines. Sharf has an established publication record in robotics, dynamics and control journals and conferences and has given numerous presentations on her research. She has supervised over 60 PhD and Master’s level engineering students over her career. Sharf recently completed a three-year term on Robotics and Automation Society Administrative Committee. She is an associate fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a member