About
Robotics researcher and engineer focused on safe physical interaction, simulation-informed design, and practical robotic implementation.
- Digital Human Modeling
- Biomechanics-Aware Analysis
- Robotic End-Effector Prototyping
- Controls + System Integration
- DoD SBIR Research
Professional Summary
Research identity: I am a robotics researcher and engineer focused on physically interactive robotic systems, with work spanning human-safe manipulation, biomechanical modeling, and simulation-informed design. My current research at Stevens Institute of Technology centers on casualty-focused human-robot interaction, including digital human model development and robotic end-effector prototyping under U.S. Department of Defense SBIR-funded programs.
Technical profile: My background combines academic robotics research with prior software and enterprise systems engineering experience, allowing me to bridge algorithmic development, simulation workflows, mechatronic prototyping, and practical system integration in multidisciplinary teams.
Implementation stance: I work at the intersection of robotics research and hands-on engineering execution, translating simulation evidence into practical robotic system design, safety analysis, and prototype validation for human-interactive tasks.
Current Focus
- Lead researcher on a DoD SBIR project for robotic end-effector redesign, prototyping, and validation for combat casualty care
- Development of ROS2/Gazebo/OpenSim workflows for physically interactive robotic tasks and biomechanical response analysis
- Digital twin and microcontroller-integrated prototyping workflows (including OpenCR/Arduino-class control integration)
- Simulation-informed evaluation of grasping, palpation, repositioning, and dragging tasks in casualty-handling scenarios
- Research-to-prototype translation for safer human-robot manipulation planning
Research Interests
- Physically interactive and safety-oriented robotics for rescue and medical contexts
- Multifidelity digital human modeling for tactile human-robot interaction simulation
- Biomechanical joint-level reaction analysis for injury-risk-aware manipulation planning
- Simulation frameworks integrating robotics middleware with musculoskeletal and reduced-order biomechanical models
- Human-safe robot manipulation validation through simulation and hardware prototyping
Engineering Approach
- Use simulation to de-risk design decisions before hardware iteration and field-style testing
- Combine controls, software, and mechatronics for end-to-end system development from model to prototype
- Anchor design and planning decisions to measurable signals such as force/torque and joint-level biomechanical metrics
- Prioritize reproducible workflows, technical transparency, and implementation-ready research outputs
- Translate academic research into deployable engineering components and validated system behavior
Now and Next
Contact and Socials
Email: aldrin.d.padua@gmail.com
Location: New Jersey, USA
GitHub: GitHub project details can be provided on request after proper permissions are secured, as related projects are government-associated and private.