Development of Robot Pipe Handler for Fully Automated Drilling Rigs (at Canrig Robotics)
I led R&D for a fully automated drilling-rig pipe-handling robot in Houston, Texas, taking it from concept through software architecture, real-time motion control, machine vision, high-fidelity simulation, safety systems, and final commissioning on a working rig. The system handled heavy drill pipes autonomously in a harsh, high-stakes environment where reliability and cycle time matter directly. I owned the integration of real-time control, collision-free motion planning, and robust sensing, and I spent significant time offshore making sure the robot performed under real drilling conditions.
Development of 7DOF Robot for Drilling Offshore Rigs
(at Canrig Robotics)
I was responsible for the full R&D cycle of a 7-DOF offshore drilling robot deployed on a rig in Norway. That meant advanced robotic motion control, machine-vision integration, high-fidelity simulation, and final commissioning on an active drilling platform in the North Sea - one of the most demanding industrial environments on Earth. I designed the control and perception pipelines, validated them in simulation, and then traveled to the rig to commission the system and tune it until it was production-ready.
Robot Vision System (at Canrig Robotics)
I designed and integrated a real-time machine-vision system for a drilling-rig robotic platform, enabling precise tracking of pipe and tool positions during automated operations. The challenge was not just seeing the pipe - it was closing the loop fast enough that a multi-ton manipulator could react accurately in a dirty, vibrating, high-contrast environment.
The work fused robotics, computer vision, and high-performance motion control into a patented industrial solution. The resulting intellectual property was awarded two United States patents, reflecting both the technical novelty and the commercial value of tightly coupling perception with control in heavy machinery.
MotoROS2: ROS 2 Interface (at Yaskawa Robotics)
I contributed to the development and validation of the ROS 2 interface for Yaskawa industrial manipulators, building example applications and reference implementations that showed engineers how to run modern motion-planning pipelines on real production hardware. The work bridged open-source robotics middleware with industrial robot controllers, combining real-time communication, manipulation, and practical factory integration. It was a direct contribution to the ROS-Industrial ecosystem, lowering the barrier between research algorithms and shop-floor robots.
MOTOMAN NEXT Robot Controller (at Yaskawa Robotics)
I worked on the development and testing of Yaskawa's next-generation adaptive robot controller platform, which became the MOTOMAN NEXT line. The system introduced an autonomous control unit capable of sensing the work environment, judging the situation, planning motion, and finishing tasks even when workpieces varied or conditions changed. I focused on the control, sensing, and testing layers that let industrial robots move beyond pre-programmed paths toward genuine adaptivity, without sacrificing the speed and repeatability production lines demand.
IRB5500 Paint Robot on Elevated Rail (at ABB Robotics)
I led motion-control R&D for the IRB5500 paint robot on an elevated rail, one of ABB's flagship high-throughput automotive painting systems. The work required deep integration with ABB RobotWare and RobotStudio, sub-millimeter motion trimming, and extensive stress testing to meet the extreme performance and finish-quality standards of automotive paint lines. I tuned the control laws and motion profiles that let the robot cover large work volumes at high speed while keeping film thickness and trajectory consistency within tight tolerances.
Research and Development of Core Robotic Motion Control
(at ABB Robotics)
As a core team member on three new ABB industrial manipulator product lines, I worked the full motion-control stack - rigid-body dynamics modeling, kinematic calibration, trajectory optimization, and real-time embedded control software (C++) on ABB IRC5 controllers. This work fed directly into the motion-control core of RobotWare, ABB's robot operating system shared across its entire manipulator range, and into RobotStudio's offline programming and simulation environment. I led development of SafeMove2, ABB's human-robot collaboration safety system, through formal safety certification, and built the Continuous Motion Rig for high-performance drilling operations. I also resolved motion-control issues directly on automotive production lines at BMW, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz, and collaborated with engineering teams across Norway, Sweden, Germany, and China on motion-control architecture.
Continuous Motion Rig (at ABB Robotics)
I conducted advanced R&D for the Continuous Motion Rig (CMR), a high-performance drilling system driven by ABB robot controllers and drives. The core challenge was maintaining continuous, synchronized robot motion throughout the entire drilling cycle - because every unnecessary stop costs time and risks damaging expensive equipment.
My responsibilities spanned real-time motion control, trajectory and movement optimization, and drive-level tuning, backed by software architecture and ABB RobotStudio integration. I used high-fidelity simulation to validate control strategies before deployment, optimized inter-robot communication and sensor feedback for tight synchronization, and carried the system through extensive testing and commissioning on-site. The result was a tightly coordinated multi-robot workflow that pushed both throughput and reliability in one of the most demanding industrial processes in the oil and gas sector.
Real-Time Path Planner for Industrial Robots (at Zivid)
I developed a real-time GPU-based path planner for high-performance robotic picking and manipulation. The system generated collision-free trajectories at frame rate and interfaced directly with industrial robot controllers for smooth, efficient execution. This sits at the intersection of geometric motion planning, GPU acceleration, and industrial robot integration - turning 3D perception data into executable robot motion fast enough to keep up with dynamic bin-picking and assembly tasks.
Hybrid Propulsion System (at Rolls Royce Marine)
I contributed to the research and development of hybrid electrical propulsion systems for marine vessels, combining conventional engines with modern electric drives. The goal was to cut fuel consumption and emissions while maintaining the operational flexibility ferries and offshore support vessels need. The project drew on my background in marine electrical systems, control, and system integration, and it gave me early exposure to the energy-transition challenges now central to maritime autonomy and robotics.
Tidal Water Generation (at Rolls Royce Marine)
I worked on concept research and development for an advanced electrical-drive system that transfers power from subsea tidal turbines to the onshore grid. The project explored how marine renewable energy could be captured and conditioned reliably in one of the harshest electrical environments on Earth, blending power electronics, marine engineering, and systems thinking. It was an early example of my interest in making complex energy and control systems work where maintenance is difficult and failure is expensive.
Heave Compensation System for Subsea & Seismic Vessels
(at Rolls Royce Marine)
I developed the electrical system that lets a vessel exchange energy between the ship's power grid and its crane system - motors, supercapacitors, and a flywheel working together as energy storage - and designed the control system for the crane motors themselves. The goal was to actively compensate for vessel heave, keeping subsea and seismic loads steady even as the ship moves with the sea beneath it.
Subsea Control Systems for Deepwater Oil & Gas Production (at General Electric & Equinor)
Across seven years as a Senior Engineer in subsea control systems - first at General Electric (GE Oil & Gas), then on the operator side at Equinor (Statoil) - I designed and delivered pressure-rated control-system hardware and embedded software for subsea production and intervention equipment operating at full ocean depth, sealed in oil-filled housings and communicating over umbilical cables.
At GE, I led the design of the electronic module architecture and control software, validated through hardware-in-the-loop simulation before offshore installation. At Equinor, I took the operator's seat overseeing subcontractor deliveries - leading systems from factory acceptance through offshore commissioning into stable production, and diagnosing control-system faults on live installations. This included new deliveries to the Snøhvit field, control-system upgrades at Troll and Gullfaks, and the Tordis-VIGDIS project, where we introduced a new optical-communication-based control system to extend the field's operating life.
Subsea Pipeline Connector System - Valhall Redevelopment
(at General Electric)
I was part of the engineering team that developed the subsea connector system - including the PLET and Morgrip connector - built to join two gas transport pipelines at 100 meters depth as part of the Valhall Redevelopment project. Deformation in one of the pipes meant its exact diameter was unknown going in, so my role was to develop the control system that maneuvered and mated the 40-tonne connector to within 1mm of precision.
Subsea Power Distribution & Switchgear Control System
(at General Electric)
I was part of the engineering team responsible for developing a subsea switchgear unit (3x24kV, 1250A) that automatically connects and disconnects power branches, with built-in protection functions to isolate faults before they cascade. My role focused on building the LabVIEW-based monitoring system, covering the subsea power connector as well - work that sat right at the intersection of high-voltage power engineering and real-time software.
Emergency Riser Disconnect Packet (at General Electric)
I took part in the design team building the control system for an Emergency Riser Disconnect Packet - a safety system that rapidly disconnects the riser from the subsea Xmas Tree in an emergency. It is a safety-critical system with zero tolerance for failure, engineered to respond instantly and reliably under the most demanding operating conditions.
Marine Industry Projects (at Rysjedal Elektro AS)
During my years in the ship industry, I contributed to a wide range of marine projects - from new ferry construction and ship conversions to maintenance and upgrade operations. My responsibilities covered electrical power generation, automation and control systems, navigation, and communication technology, often from design through commissioning.
I programmed PLCs and LabVIEW systems, led commissioning and offshore trials, troubleshot complex integrated systems, and optimized performance to meet strict maritime classification and operational standards. This period gave me a deep, practical understanding of how large marine systems are built, tested, and kept running at sea - a mindset I still rely on when designing autonomous systems that must survive far from a service technician.
PhD Thesis: Mechatronic Design Techniques for Motion Control Systems of a Three-Wheeled Mobile Platform Using an Energy Performance Index
My PhD research developed a novel real-time nonlinear control algorithm for a three-wheeled mobile platform, with a specific focus on energy-efficient motion control. Rather than treating control, mechanics, and electronics separately, I used an integrated mechatronic design approach that co-optimized the hardware and the algorithm around a single energy-performance index.
The methodology combined virtual prototyping, Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation (HILS), and rapid prototyping on a custom-built robot designed specifically for the research: I implemented the control algorithm on a real-time FPGA system and built the robot itself from scratch to validate it. This closed-loop design-test-refine cycle made it possible to validate theoretical predictions directly on physical hardware and to iterate quickly when the model and reality diverged.
Experimental results showed clear performance gains: the platform consumed less energy while maintaining accurate motion, demonstrating that mechatronic integration and corrective velocity strategies can jointly optimize mobile robot efficiency.
The thesis contributes to energy-aware robotics and mechatronic design, showing how control theory and hardware design can be fused to build mobile platforms that are both capable and efficient. It also established the research pattern I still use today: start from physics, close the loop in software, and prove it on a real machine.
