Assistant Professor
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
aluo10@syr.edu
Areas of Expertise:
- Solid Mechanics
- Materials
- Design and Manufacturing
- Soft Robotics
- Thermophysics
Dr. Luo’s research group specializes in leveraging the expertise in mechanics, materials, and computational methods including data-driven methods to address cutting-edge challenges in robotics, design, and manufacturing. The group’s research encompasses a diverse range of topics, including the design and analysis of microtransfer printing processes, the development of variable stiffness structures and mechanisms, the exploration of adhesion-based soft robotic grippers, and the creation of architected materials with tailored adhesion or fracture properties. By focusing on these research thrusts, the group aims to advance the understanding and application of mechanics and materials in robotics, enabling the development of innovative designs and manufacturing techniques.
Selected Publications:
- Luo, A., Zhang, H. and Turner, K.T., 2022. Machine learning-based optimization of the design of composite pillars for dry adhesives, Extreme Mechanics Letters, 54, p.101695.
- Luo, A., Pande, S.S., Turner, K.T., 2022. Versatile adhesion-based gripping via an unstructured variable stiffness membrane, Soft Robotics.
- Luo, A., and Turner, K.T., 2022. Adhesion of beams with subsurface elastic heterogeneity. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 159, p.104713.
- Luo, A., and Turner, K.T., 2021. Achieving enhanced adhesion through optimal stress distributions. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 156, p.104610.
- Luo, A., and Turner, K.T., 2020. Mechanics of crack path selection in microtransfer printing: Challenges and opportunities for process control. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 143, p.104066.
- Luo, A. §, Nasab, A.M. §, Tatari, M., Chen, S., Shan, W. and Turner, K.T., 2020. Adhesion of flat-ended pillars with non-circular contacts. Soft Matter, 16(41), pp.9534-9542. (§ represents co-first author)
- Nasab, A.M. §, Luo, A. §, Sharifi, S., Turner, K.T. and Shan, W., 2020. Switchable adhesion via subsurface pressure modulation. ACS applied materials & interfaces, 12(24), pp.27717-27725. (§ represents co-first author)
- Tan, D. §, Luo, A. §, Wang, X., Shi, Z., Lei, Y., Steinhart, M., Kovalev, A., Gorb, S.N., Turner, K.T. and Xue, L., 2020. Humidity-modulated core–shell nanopillars for enhancement of gecko-inspired adhesion. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 3(4), pp.3596-3603. (§ represents co-first author)
- Luo, A. and Lior, N., 2017. Study of advancement to higher temperature membrane distillation. Desalination, 419, pp.88-100.
- Luo, A. and Lior, N., 2016. Critical review of membrane distillation performance criteria. Desalination and Water Treatment, 57(43), pp.20093-20140.