Dr. David J. Cappelleri

Assistant Professor

Faculty/Professor
Room: E208
Phone: 201.216.5072
Email: dcappell@stevens.edu
Personal website: http://personal.stevens.edu/~dcappell/

Education

  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, August 2008
  • M.S., Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, May 2000
  • Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Magna Cum Laude), Villanova University, Villanova, PA, May 1998

Research: 

Professor David J. Cappelleri’s research focuses on robotic and automation systems at various length scales: macro-scale (cm to m), meso-scale (~100's of um to a few mm's), micro-scale (10's of um to 100's of um), and nano-scale (nm). He is the director of the Multi-Scale Robotics and Automation Lab at Stevens in which the particular research areas of focus are multi-scale robotic manipulation and assembly tasks, mobile micro/nano robotics, bio-nano robotics, mechatronics, robotic system integration, medical robotics and devices, MEMS device design and fabrication to aid in robotics and automation tasks, and automation for the life sciences. Dr. Cappeleri’s current projects include:

  • Development of a Flexible Automation Test-bed for Meso, Micro, and Nano-scale Manipulation Tasks
  • Vision-Based µN Force Sensor Design and Fabrication for Microrobotic Applications
  • Micro and Meso-Scale Manipulation and Assembly
  • Mobile Micro/Nano Robotics
  • Automated Phototransfection (Life Sciences)

Prof. Cappelleri is a recipient of the 2009 Association for Lab Automation (ALA) Young Scientist Award. He is an active member of various professional societies and technical committees, such as: American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS), IEEE RAS Technical Committee on Micro/Nano Robotics and Automation, ASME Design Engineering Division Mechanisms and Robotics Committee. Dr. Cappelleri is also an organizer of the annual ASME Student Mechanism and Robot Design Competition as well as founder and organizer of the annual ASME Micro and Nano-Systems Photo Contest. Prof. Cappelleri is an associate editor for the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) as well as an avid participant and reviewer for various conferences and journals.

Experience

  • 11/08-present, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ
  • 8/08-11/08, Post-doctoral researcher, General Robotics, Automation, Sensing, and Perception (GRASP) Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
  • 7/05, 7/06, 7/07, Robotics Instructor, University of Pennsylvania Summer Academy in Applied Science and Technology, Philadelphia, PA
  • 9/03-8/08, Graduate Research Fellow, General Robotics, Automation, Sensing, and Perception (GRASP) Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
  • 1/02-8/03, Project Engineer, Research and Development Division, Radionics-Tyco Healthcare, Burlington, MA
  • 11/00-1/02, Mechanical/Field Service Engineer, Technical Support Division, Radionics-Tyco Healthcare, Burlington, MA
  • 8/98-5/00, Graduate Research Fellow, Engineering Design & Optimization Group (EDOG), The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Professional Activities/Services

  • Associate Editor: 2009-2010 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems
  • Reviewer for IEEE International Conference on Robotic and Automation (ICRA), ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conference (IDETC), IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, IEEE Transaction on Automation Science and Engineering (T-ASE), International Symposium of Robotics Research Conference (ISRR), ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Letters, Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation, Sensors, IEEE Conferene on Automation Science and Engineering (CASE)
  • Local Arrangements for the following conferences:  Robotics Science and Systems, August 16-19th, 2006, Philadelphia, PA, ASME IDETC & CIE, September 10-13th, 2006, Philadelphia, PA
  • Symposium/Session organizer:  ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conference (IDETC), 2009-2010; IEEE International Conference on Robotic and Automation (ICRA), 2009, 2010
  • Organizer, ASME M&R Student Mechanism and Robot Design Competition, 2009-2011

Research Projects Interests

  • Multi-scale robotics, manipulation and assembly
  • Bio-nano robotics
  • Mechatronics
  • Robotic system integration
  • Medical robotics
  • MEMS device design and fabrication
  • Automation for Life Sciences
  • Micro and Nano Aerial Vehicles Design and Control

Publications

  1. D. Cappelleri, A. Halasz, J-Y. Sul, T. Kim, J. Eberwine, and V. Kumar (Dec 2010) "Towards A Fully Automated High-Throughput Phototransfection System", Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation (JALA), Vol. 15, p. 329-341.

  2. D. Cappelleri (2010) "A novel lab and project-based learning introductory robotics course", Special Issue on Robotics Education, Computers in Education Journal (to appear).

  3. N. Ayanian, J. Keller, D. Cappelleri, V. Kumar (2010) "Development of a Successful Open-ended Robotics Design Course at the High School Level", Special Issue on Robotics Education, Computers in Education Journal (to appear).

  4. Jing, W., Chen, X., Lyttle, S., Fu, Z., Shi, Y., and Cappelleri, D (2010) "Design of a magnetostrictive thin film microrobot", ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE), November 12-18.

  5. D. Cappelleri, G. Krishnan, C. Kim, V. Kumar (Dec 2010) "Towards the Design of a Decoupled, Two-Dimensional, Vision-Based µN Force Sensor", ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, Vol. 2( 2).

  6. D. Cappelleri, A. Halasz, J-Y. Sul, T. Kim, J. Eberwine, and V. Kumar (2009) "Towards Fully Automated Phototransfection", IEEE Conference on Robotics, Automation, and Science (CASE), Bangalore, India, August 22-25.

  7. J. Sul, C. Wu, F. Zeng, J. Jochems, M. Lee, T. Kim, T. Peritz, P. Buckley, D. Cappelleri, M. Maronski, M. Kim, V. Kumar, D. Meaney, J. Kim and J. Eberwine (Dec 2009) "Transcriptome Transfer Produces a Predictable Cellular Phenotype", Proc. of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Vol. 106( 18).

  8. D. Cappelleri, G. Piazza, V. Kumar (2009) "Two-Dimensional, Vision-Based µN Force Sensor for Microrobotics", IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Kobe, Japan.

  9. Torres, M., Cappelleri, D.J., Anes, D.S., Reiter, M.P., and DeGuilio, A.P. (1999), "Turbulator Geometry Influence on Tripping Effectiveness Based on Low-Speed Wind-Tunnel Data", Technical Soaring, Vol.23, No.1, January 1999, pp.23-27..

  10. Wilson, B., Cappelleri, D. J., Frecker, M. I. and Simpson, T. W. (2001), "Efficient Pareto Frontier Exploration Using Surrogate Approximations", Optimization and Engineering, 2:1 (31-50)..

  11. Cappelleri, D. J., Frecker, M. I., Simpson, T. W. and Snyder, A. (2002), "A Metamodel-Based Approach for Optimal Design of a PZT Bimorph Actuator for Minimally Invasive Surgery", ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, 124:2 (354-357)..

  12. P. Cheng, D. Cappelleri, B. Gavrea and V. Kumar "Planning and Control of Meso-scale Manipulation Tasks with Uncertainties", Proceedings of Robotics: Science and Systems (RSS), Atlanta, GA, June 27-30, 2007..

  13. Cappelleri, D. J., Frecker, M. I. and Simpson, T. W. (2000) "Optimal Design of a PZT Bimorph Actuator for Minimally Invasive Surgery", 7th International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, Newport Beach, CA, March 5-9, SPIE, 3984 (321-335)..

  14. D. Cappelleri, J. Fink, B. Mukundakrishnan, V. Kumar and J. Trinkle "Designing Open Loop Plans for Planar Micro Manipulation", Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotic and Automation (ICRA), Orlando, FL, 2006..

  15. D.Cappelleri, J. Fink, V. Kumar, "Modeling Uncertainty for Planar Meso-scale Manipulation and Assembly", Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conference (IDETC), Philadelphia, 2006.

  16. D.Cappelleri, J. Keller, T. Kientz, P. Szczesniak, and V. Kumar "SAAST Robotics - An Intensive Three Week Robotics Program for High School Students", Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conference (IDETC), Las Vegas, 2007.

  17. D.Cappelleri, P.Cheng, B. Gavrea, and V. Kumar "Meso-manipulation: System, Modeling, Planning and Control", Video, IEEE International Conference on Robotic and Automation (ICRA), Pasadena, CA, 2008.

  18. J. Keller, D. Cappelleri, T. Kientz, N. Ayanian, P. White, and V. Kumar "Capturing the Interest of Future Engineers: The Development of an Intensive Three-week Summer Academy in Robotics for High School Students", Proceedings of the Fall 2008 ASEE Mid-Atlantic Section Conference, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ.

  19. Cappelleri, D. J. and Frecker, M. I., (1999). ""Optimal Design of Smart Tools for Minimally Invasive Surgery"", Optimization in Industry II, ASME, Banff, Alberta, Canada, June 6-11..

  20. Wilson, B., Cappelleri, D. J., Frecker, M. I. and Simpson, T. W. (2000) ""Efficient Pareto Frontier Exploration Using Surrogate Approximations"", th AIAA/NASA/USAF/ISSMO Symposium on Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, Long Beach, CA, September 6-8, AIAA, AIAA-2000-4895..

  21. D. Cappelleri, G. Krishnan, C. Kim, V. Kumar, S. Kota "Towards the Design of a Decoupled, Two-dimensional, Vision-based µN Force Sensor for Microrobotics", Proc. of the ASME 2009 International Design Engineering Technical Conference (IDETC), San Diego.

Awards and Honors

  • Young Scientist Award, Association fo Laboratory Automation & IEEE Robotics and Automation Society
  • University of Pennsylvania GAANN Fellowship Award
  • Radionics NAI Award
  • The Pennsylvania State University College of Engineering Graduate Scholar Fellowship Award
  • Villanova University College of Engineering Academic Excellence Award
  • Villanova University College of Engineering Meritorious Service Award
  • National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Fellow
  • Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and College

Honor Societies

  • Tau Beta Pi
  • Pi Tau Sigma
  • Phi Kappa Phi

Professional Organizations and Societies

  • Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
  • Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • Member, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS)
  • Member, IEEE RAS Technical Committee on Micro/Nano Robotics and Automation
  • Member, ASME Design Engineering Division Mechanisms and Robotics Committee