People
AU Kwok Wai Samuel 歐國威
Professor
samuelau@mae.cuhk.edu.hk
TEL: 852 - 3943 8328
Room 315A, William M.W. Mong Engineering Building
https://biomedirobotics.com/

Dr. Au is an Associate Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering and Department of Surgery (by courtesy) at CUHK. He is also the Founding Co-Director of Multiscale Medical Robotics Center of InnoHK Research Cluster. Dr. Au received the B.Eng. and M.Phil degrees in Mechanical and Automation Engineering from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Hong Kong in 1997 and 1999, respectively. He completed his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering at MIT in 2007. Prof. Hugh Herr, Dr. Au, and other colleagues from MIT Biomechatronics group co-invented the MIT Powered Ankle-foot Prosthesis. This invention was later commercialized by iWalk, Inc.

Before joining CUHK (2016), he was the manager of Systems Analysis of the New Product Development Department at Intuitive Surgical, Inc. At Intuitive Surgical, he co-invented and was leading the software and control algorithm development for the FDA cleared da Vinci Si Single-Site surgical platform (2012), Single-Site Wristed Needle Driver (2014), and da Vinci Xi Single-Site surgical platform (2016). Since the official launch at Dec 2012, over 100K patients have received the single incision surgery through this platform. He was also a founding team member for the early development of Intuitive Surgical’s FDA cleared robot-assisted catheter system, da Vinci ION system from 2008 to 2012.

Dr. Au co-authored over 48 peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference journals, 17 granted US patents/EP, and 3 pending US Patents. He has won numerous awards including the first prize in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Student Mechanism Design Competition in 2007, Intuitive Surgical Problem Solving Award in 2010, and Intuitive Surgical Inventor Award in 2011.

Research Interests
  • Medical Robotics
  • Bioinspired Robotics
  • Control System Design
  • Mechatronics System Development
Current Projects
  • Design and control of soft robotic manipulator
  • Control algorithms and software infrastructure development for da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK)
  • Development of advanced robotic instrumentation for hernia repair
  • Design and control of high performance flexible robotic system for confined space surgery
  • Design and control of under-actuated robotic system
Teaching by Years
2019/2020
ENGG5402 Advanced Robotics
MAEG4040 Mechatronic Systems
2018/2019
ENGG5402 Advanced Robotics
MAEG4040 Mechatronic Systems
Publications

Journal Papers 

    1. Y. Wang, H. W. Yip, H. Zheng, H. Lin, R. H. Taylor, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Design and experimental validation of a miniaturized robotic tendon-driven articulated surgical drill for enhancing distal dexterity in minimally invasive spine surgery,” IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, vol. 26, issue 4, pp. 1858-1866, 2021.
    2. Y. Cai, P. Choi, C. W. V. Hui, R. H. Taylor, and K. W. Samuel Au, “A task space virtual fixture architecture for tele-operated surgical system with slave joint limit constraints,” IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, Feb 2021. (DOI 10.1109/TMECH.2021.3058174)
    3. H. Lin, Q. Gao, X. Chu, Q. Dou, A. Deguet, P. Kazanzides, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Learning deep nets for gravitational dynamics with unknown disturbance through physical knowledge distillation: initial feasibility study,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 6, Issue 2, pp.2658-2665, 2021.
    4. J. Huang, Y. Cai, X. Chu, R. H. Taylor, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Non-fixed contact manipulation control framework for deformable objects with active contact adjustment,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 2878-2885, 2021.
    5. Hing-Choi Fu, Justin Di-Lang Ho, Kit-Hang Lee, Y.C. Hu, W. Samuel Au, Kyu-Jin Cho, K.Y. Sze, and Ka-Wai Kwok, “Interfacing soft and hard: a spring reinforced actuator,” Soft Robotics, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 44-58, 2020.
    6. X. Chu, C. H. David Lo, C. Ma, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Null-space-avoidance-based orientation control framework for underactuated, tail-inspired robotic systems in flight phase,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 3916–3923, 2019.
    7. H. Lin, C. W. Vincent Hui, Y. Wang, A. Deguet, P. Kazanzides, and K. W. Samuel Au, “A reliable gravity compensation control strategy for dvrk robotic arms with nonlinear disturbance forces,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 3892–3899, 2019.
    8. F. Xu, Hesheng Wang, Jingchuan Wang, S. K. Au, Weidong Chen, “Underwater dynamic visual servoing for a soft robot arm with online distortion correction,” IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, March 2019
    9. Chiu, P. W. Y., Ng, S. S. M., and K. Au, “Transcervical minimally invasive esophagectomy using da Vinci@SP Surgical system: a feasibility study in cadaveric model,” Surgical Endoscopy and Other Interventional Techniques, pp.1-4, Jan 2, 2019.
    10. F. Xu, Hesheng Wang, S. K. Au, Weidong Chen, and Y. Miao, “Underwater dynamic modeling for a cable-driven soft robot arm,” IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, vol. 23, issue 6, pp. 2726-2738, 2018.
    11. Xiangyu Chu, H. W. Yip, Yuanpei Cai, T. Y. Chung, Stuart Moran, and K. Au, “A compliant robotic instrument with coupled tendon driven articulated wrist control for organ retraction,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 3, issue 4, pp. 4225-4232, 2018.
    12. S. K. Au, Weber J., and Herr, H., “Powered ankle-foot prosthesis improves walking metabolic economy,” IEEE Transactions on Robotics, vol. 25, issue 1, pp. 51 – 66, Feb 2009.
    13. S. K. Au and Herr, H., “On the design of a powered ankle-foot prosthesis: The importance of series and parallel motor elasticity,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, vol. 15, issue 3, pp. 52 –59, 2008.
    14. S. K. Au, Bernike, M., and Herr, H., “Powered ankle-foot prosthesis to assist level-ground and stair-descent gaits,” International Journal of Neural Networks, vol. 21, issue 4, pp. 654 – 666, 2008.
    15. Xu, Y. and K. Au, “Stabilization and path following of a single wheel robot,” IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 407-419, 2004.
    16. S. K. Au, Xu, Y., and Yu, W. Y., “Control of tilt-up motion via model-based and human-based controllers,” An International Journal of Mechatronics, vol. 11, pp. 451-473, 2001, Elsevier Science.
    17. Xu, Y., Ben, B., and K. Au, “Dynamic mobility with single-wheel configuration,” International Journal of Robotics Research, vol. 18, no. 7, pp. 728-38, 1999.

Journal Papers Under Review

  1. Wang Yan, Hao Zheng, Russel Taylor, and W. Samuel Au, “A handheld steerable surgical drill with a novel articulated joint module for dexterous confined-space bone work,” IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 2021[under review].
  2. Xiangyu Chu, Raymond Ng, Hesheng Wang, and W. Samuel Au, “Feedback Control for Collision-Free Nonholonomic Vehicle Navigation on SE(2) with Null Space Circumvention,” IEEE Transaction of Mechatronics, 2021 [under review].
  3. Changran He and W. Samuel Au, “Leader-following consensus for multiple Euler-Lagrange systems over switching networks by distributed position feedback control,” IEEE Transactions on Control of Network Systems, 2021 [under review].
  4. Changran He and W. Samuel Au, “Exponential attitude tracking and disturbance rejection of rigid body systems,” International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control, 2021 [under review].
  5. X. Chu, C. H. Lo, T. Proietti, C. J. Walsh, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Opposite treatment on null space: a unified control framework for a class of underactuated robotic systems with null space avoidance,” IEEE Transactions on Control System and Technology, 2021 [under review].
  6. J. An, X. Ma, C.H. Lo, W. NG, K. W. Samuel Au, “Design and experimental validation of a monopod robot with 3-dof morphable inertial tail for somersault,” IEEE Transaction of Mechatronics, 2021 [under review].
  7. Xiaomei Wang, Jing Dai, Hon-Sing Tong, Kui Wang, Xiaochen Xie, Yun-Hui Liu, Kwok Wai Samuel Au, Ka-Wai Kwok*, “Learning-based visual-strain fusion for eye-in-hand soft robot pose estimation and control,” IEEE Transactions on Robotics (TRO), 2021 [under review].

Conference Papers

  1. J. M. Butt, X. Chu, Z. Hao, X. Wang, K. W. Kwok, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Modeling and control of soft robotic tail based aerial maneuvering (STAM) system: towards agile self-righting with a soft tail,” IEEE International Conference on Advanced Robotics (ICAR), 2021 (accepted).
  2. X. Chu, Y. Tang, A. M. Giordano, T. Chen, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Operational space control for planar PA^{N-1} underactuated manipulators using orthogonal projection and quadratic programming,” IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2021.
  3. J. Huang, Y. Cai, X. Chu, R. H. Taylor, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Non-fixed contact manipulation control framework for deformable objects with active contact adjustment,” IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2021.
  4. H. Lin, Q. Gao, X. Chu, Q. Dou, A. Deguet, P. Kazanzides, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Learning deep nets for gravitational dynamics with unknown disturbance through physical knowledge distillation: initial feasibility study,” IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2021.
  5. R. Ng, Y. Tang, X. Chu, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Development if a portable hybrid Pendubot-Acrobot robotic platform for on and off campus teaching and learning,” American Control Conference (ACC), May 2021 (10.23919/ACC50511.2021.9482939).
  6. X. Chu, C. H. D. Lo, and K. W. Samuel Au, “A novel strategy for stabilization control of a planar three-link underactuated manipulator with a passive first joint,” American Control Conference (ACC), pp. 5262-5268, 2020.
  7. C. H. D. Lo, X. Chu, and K. W. Samuel Au, “A norm-regulation-based limit cycle control of vertical hoppers,” American Control Conference (ACC), pp. 2130-2136, 2020.
  8. X. Chu, C. H. D. Lo, C. Ma, J. An, T. Y. Chung, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Towards agile maneuver generation for terrestrial robots in flight phase,” Dynamic Walking, 2020.
  9. J, An, T. Y. Chung, C. H. D. Lo, C. Ma, X. Chu, and W. Samuel Au, “Development of a bipedal hopping robot with morphable inertial tail for agile locomotion,” International Conference for Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob), pp. 132-139, 2020
  10. J. Huang, Y. Cai, X. Chu, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Task-oriented contact adjustment in deformable objects manipulation with non-fixed contact,” IROS2020 workshop on “Managing Deformation: A Step Towards Higher Robot Autonomy”.
  11. X. Chu, C. H. D. Lo, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Opposite treatments on null space: null space projection vs null space avoidance,” IROS2019 Late Breaking Results Poster.
  12. Y. Cai, C. W. Vincent Hui, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Semi-Analytical Orientation Alignment with Joint Limit Constraints for Tele-Operated Surgical System,” Hamlyn Symposium, London, 2019.
  13. H. B. Lin, C. W. Vincent Hui, Y. Wang, A. Degust, Peter Kazanides, and K. W. Samuel Au, “A Reliable Gravity Compensation Software Package for the da Vinci Research Kit,” ICRA19 workshop on “Open Challenges and State-of-the-Art in Control System Design and Technology Development for Surgical Robotic Systems”.
  14. X. Y. Chu, C. H. David Lo, Carlos Ma, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Null-Space-Avoidance-Based Attitude Stabilization Control for Coupled Space Robot Systems,” ICRA19 workshop on “Robotic Technology for In-Space Assembly”.
  15. X. Chu, H. W. Yip, Y. Cai, T. Y. Chung, S. Moran, and K. W. Samuel Au, “A Compliant Robotic Instrument with Coupled Tendon Driven Articulated Wrist Control for Organ Retraction,” IROS2018.
  16. X. Y. Chu, T. Y. Chung, and K. W. Samuel Au, “A Systematic Modelling Approach for Motor-Cable-Joint Kinematics of Coupled Tendon-Driven Surgical Instrument,” Hamlyn Symposium, London, 2018.
  17. H. W. Yip, Yuanpei Cai, T. Y. Chung, S. Moran, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Design of an Inherently Safe Robotic Instrument for Organ Retraction by Exploiting the Buckling Principle of a Continuum Bending Beam,” Hamlyn Symposium, London, 2018.
  18. K. LU, H. B. Lin, C. W. Vincent Hui, and K. W. Samuel Au, “A Case Study of Gravity Compensation for da Vinci Robotic Manipulator: A Practical Perspective,” ICRA18 workshop on “Supervised Autonomy in Surgical Robotics”.
  19. K. C. Lau, Yuanpei Cai, Y. Yam and K. W. Samuel Au, “Comparison Study of Geometric Representation for Continuum Manipulator,” ICRA18 workshop on “Supervised Autonomy in Surgical Robotics”.
  20. S. K. Au, Weber. J., and Herr, H., “Biomechanical design of a powered ankle-foot prosthesis,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. On Rehabilitation Robotics, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, pp. 298-303, June 2007.
  21. S. K. Au, Herr, H., Weber J., and Martinez E., “Powered ankle-foot prosthesis for the improvement of amputee ambulation,” Proc. IEEE EMBS Annual International Conference, Lyon, France, August 2007. (One of the finalists of the student paper competition).
  22. S. K. Au, Weber. J., and Herr, H., “Biomechanical design of a powered ankle-foot prosthesis,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. On Rehabilitation Robotics, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, pp. 298-303, June 2007.
  23. S. K. Au, Dilworth, P., and Herr, H., “An ankle-foot emulation system for the study of human walking biomechanics,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation, Orlando, FL, pp. 2939-2945, May 2006.
  24. S. K. Au and Herr, H, “Initial experimental study on dynamic interaction between an amputee and a powered ankle-foot prosthesis,” Workshop on Dynamic Walking: Mechanics and Control of Human and Robot Locomotion, Ann Arbor, MI, May 2006.
  25. S. K. Au, Bonato, P., and Herr, H., “An EMG-position controlled system for an active ankle-foot prosthesis: an initial experimental study,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. On Rehabilitation Robotics, Chicago, IL, pp. 375-379, June 2005.
  26. Cho, K.-J., K. Au, and Asada, H., “Large-scale servo control using a matrix wire network for driving a large number of actuators,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation, Taipei, Taiwan, pp. 646-651, Sept. 2003.
  27. S. K. Au and Xu, Y., “Path following of a single wheel robot,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation, SF, CA, pp. 2925-30, 2000.
  28. Xu, Y., K. Au, and Yu, W. K., “Control of a gyroscopically stabilized robot,” Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences 250: Experimental Robotics VI, pp. 215-24, Spinger-Verlag, 2000.
  29. S. K. Au and Xu, Y., “Decoupled dynamics and stabilization of a single wheel robot,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Poshan, Korea, pp. 197-203, Oct. 1999.
  30. Xu, Y., Yu, W. K., and K. Au, “Modeling human strategy in controlling a dynamically stabilized robot,” Proc. of IEEE Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Poshan, Korea, pp. 1789-94, Oct. 1999.
  31. Xu, Y., K. Au, Nandy, C. G., and Brown, H., “Analysis of actuation and dynamic balancing for a single-wheel robot Intelligent Robots and Systems,” Proc. of IEEE Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Victoria, Canada, pp. 1789 -1794, 1998.

Patents Publications (Total: 21, of which *17 granted US patents/EP, and 4 filed US patents/provisional)

  1. Au, S. K., Inventors; System with guides and tools of different flexibility. Num: US10939972B2. Pub. date: Mar 09, 2021.(Pending)
  2. Wu, M., Au, S. K., Inventors; Systems and methods for instrument insertion control. Patent No: US11,013,567B2. Data of Patent: Feb 16, 2021
  3. Au, K. W. S. et al., Inventors; Operating self-antagonistic drives of medical instruments. Patent No: US10,888,306. Date of Patent: Jan 12, 2021.
  4. Au, K. W. S. et al., Inventors; Self-antagonistic drives of medical instruments. Patent No: EP2914197B1. Date of Patent: Dec 09, 2020.
  5. Au, S. K., Inventors; Systems and methods for medical instrument force sensing. Patent No: US10,791,908. Date of Patent: Oct 6, 2020.
  6. Au, K. W. S. et al., Inventors; Articulating surgical device. US Provisional Patent: US63/040,130. Filing Date: Jun 17, 2020. (US Provisional)
  7. Au, K. W. S., Inventor; Flexible Medical Instrument. Patent No: US10,709,514B2. Date of Patent: Jul 14, 2020.
  8. Au, K. W. S. et al., Inventors; Systems and methods for organ retraction and space opening. Pub. Num: WO2020207455A1. Filing date: Apr 10, 2020. (Pending)
  9. Au, K. W. S. et al., Inventors; Morphable inertial appendage, systems and associated methods. Pub Num: US20200298425A1. Filing date: Feb 25, 2020. (Pending)
  10. Herr, H., Au, S. K., Paluska, D., Dilworth P., inventors; Artificial ankle-foot system with spring, variable-damping, and series-elastic actuator components. Patent No: US10,342,681B1. Date of Patent: Jul 9, 2019.
  11. Au, S. K., Donhowe, C. Q., Duindam V., Fenech, C., Mohr, C. J., Prisco, G. M. Inventors; Catheter system. Patent No: EP2766083B1. Date of Patent: May 29, 2019.
  12. Au, K. W. S. et al., Inventors; Phantom degrees of freedom in joint estimation and control. Patent No: US10,052,167B2. Date of Patent: Aug 21, 2018.
  13. Hingwe, P., Au, S. K., et al. Inventors; Phantom degrees of freedom for manipulating the movement of surgical systems. Patent No: US9,949,799B2. Date of Patent: Apr 24, 2018.
  14. Hourtash, A. M., Au, S. K., et al. Inventors; Phantom degrees of freedom for manipulating the movement of mechanical bodies. Patent No: US9,861,447B2. Date of Patent: Jan 9, 2018.
  15. Blumenkranz, S. J., Au, S. K., Inventors; Hybrid manual and robotic interventional instruments and methods of use. Patent No: US9,839,481B2. Date of Patent: Dec 12, 2017.
  16. Au, K. W. S. et al., Inventors; Tension control in actuation of multi-joint medical instruments. Patent No: US9,743,990B2. Filing Date: Nov 12, 2010(filed on No. 12/945,734). Date of Patent: Aug 29, 2017.
  17. Duindam, V., Mohr, C. J., Fenech, C., Prisco, G. M., Au, S. K., and C. Q. Donhowe. Inventors; Catheter with removable vision probe.  Patent No: US9,452,276B2.  Filing Date: Oct 14, 2011.  Date of Patent: Sept 27, 2016.
  18. Stoy, K. D., Prisco, M. G., Au, S. K., Fenech C. Inventors; Flexible surgical devices. Patent No: US9,055,960B2. Filing Date: Nov 15, 2010. Date of Patent: Jun 16, 2015.
  19. Prisco, M. G. and Au, K. W. S., Inventors; Curved cannula surgical system control. Patent No: US8888789B2. Date of Patent: Nov 18, 2014.
  20. Prisco, M. G., Au, S. K., Inventors; Drive force control in medical instrument providing position measurements. Patent No: US8644988. Date of Patent: Feb 14, 2014.
  21. Herr, H., Weber, J. A., Au, S. K., Deffenbaugh, B. W., Magnusson, L. H., Hofmann A. G., Aisen, B. B., inventors; Powered Ankle-Foot Prosthesis. Patent No: US8512415. Date of Patent: Aug 20, 2013.

Copyrights (Total: 2)

  1. Au, S. K., Inventors; Surgical Robotic Compact Modular Joint Design. CUHK Copyright (CR00062).  Filed Date: Jan 20, 2020
  2. Au, S. K., Inventors; Surgical Robotic Control Software Platform. CUHK Copyright (CR00048).  Filed Date: Jul 30, 2018