Mechanisms And Robotic Systems Lab
Welcome to the Mechanisms And Robotic Systems (MARS) lab at Purdue University!
The MARS lab investigates cutting-edge robotic research at the intersection of mechanical design, sensory perception, and dynamic control. More specifically, we are interested in human-safe collaborative robots (cobots), soft robots, and robotic manipulation. Our goal is to develop inherently safe and highly performing robots that can work in dynamic environments with humans, side by side, to perform challenging manipulation tasks.
Research Overview

News
[April 2023] Yu together with Autonomous Robotics Club (ARC) of Purdue organizes the the inaugural Institute for Control, Optimization and Networks (ICON) Robotics and Intelligent Systems (RISE) Expo!
[Feb 2023] Yu together with Dr. Dongyi Wang and Dr. Wan Shou from University of Arkansas won a NSF NRI 3.0 Award supported by USDA! Thank USDA and NSF for the support! Link
[Feb 2023] Our lab has a SURF project available. The SURF program is a 10-week research experience at Purdue University during the summer for students enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education in a bachelor’s degree program. Please consider applying!
[Feb 2023] Our paper "Design and Modeling of a Compliant Link for Inherently Safe Corobots" was recognized as the most accessed articles for the ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics in 2022. Link
[Jan 2023] Our lab was featured by Purdue College of Engineering! Check the news here: Humans and robots go hand in hand!
[Oct 2022] Zhengtong was selected as a recipient of the 2022-2023 Dr. Theodore J. and Isabel M. Williams Fellowship in Industrial Control Systems! Congratulations!
[Aug 2022] Yu together with Purdue IE Professor Sivaranjani Seetharaman won a Purdue Autonomous and Connected Systems Initiative (ACSI) award! Thank Purdue ACSI for the generous support! Link
[May 2022] Yu was selected for a Google Research Scholar Award. Thank Google for the generous support! Link
[Feb 2022] Our paper "Design and Modeling of a Compliant Link for Inherently Safe Corobots" was recognized as the most downloaded paper for the ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics in 2021. Link
[Jan 2022] Yu is co-organizing the 2022 ASME Student Mechanism & Robot Design Competition, which is part of the 46th Mechanisms & Robotics Conference at the ASME IDETC-CIE 2022 on Aug 14-17, 2022. Link
[Dec 2021] Yu gave an invited talk for the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design (JMD) at the JMD WEBINAR on Robot Design. Link
[Nov 2021] Yu gave an invited talk at the Robotics & IoT Seminars organized by the Purdue Robotics Accelerator.
[Aug 2021] Yu gave an invited talk at the inaugural Special Early Career session as part of the 45th Mechanisms & Robotics Conference at the ASME IDETC-CIE 2021. Link
[Aug 2021] Yu gave an invited talk at the 2021 IDETC-CIE Journal Spotlights (Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics) as part of the 45th Mechanisms & Robotics Conference at the ASME IDETC-CIE 2021. Link
[Aug 2021] Yu served as the leading organizer of the 2021 ASME Student Mechanism & Robot Design Competition, which is part of the 45th Mechanisms & Robotics Conference at the ASME IDETC-CIE 2021. Link
[Aug 2021] Our paper "Cable manipulation with a tactile-reactive gripper" was published in The International Journal of Robotics Research. Link
[Aug 2021] Yu joined Purdue University School of Industrial Engineering as a tenure-track assistant professor.