John Lo Email & Phone Number

Oxford, England, United Kingdom

-Payload engineer for Boston Dynamics Spot-Project RAICo

Designing robots for lunar exploration. Project funded by UKSA.Drafted monthly and quarterly reports for UKSA.

As a PhD researcher in robotics, I have specialised in robot design and prototyping for celestial applications. Throughout my PhD, I have successfully designed various robotics systems, including jumping robots for lunar exploration projects funded by the ESA and EPRSC. A notable contribution of mine was the establishment of a general design guideline for jumping robots. To accomplish this, I developed analytical and numerical models (e.g. Simulink/Simscape multibody) to study the jumping dynamics and energetics of multibody systems. The findings have provided valuable insights for the development of more efficient and robust jumping robots.

In the EPRSC FAIR-SPACE lunar project, I designed a jump-testing platform with adjustable gravitational acceleration. This platform enabled me to conduct experimental studies on the dynamics of jumping under lunar and Earth gravity conditions and on various substrates like lunar regolith. These experiments also refined my skills in high-speed image acquisition and analysis techniques, ensuring precise assessment and evaluation of system behaviour.

For the ESA Lunar caves exploration mission, I collaborated with the space research group at the university and contributed to the development of an empirical scaling model for sizing a lunar jumping rover. As part of the project, I co-authored reports and presentations that were submitted to the ESA.

As an Electronic R&D Engineer, I was responsible for developing embedded control systems, hardware safety interlocks, and user interfaces for medical-grade laser devices.My main focus was on system design using 8-bit and 32-bit MCUs (PIC18, PIC32), with expertise in control, communication (RS232 and RS485), and data processing using MPLAB and Embedded C environments.In addition, I had extensive experience in analog circuit design, particularly in the area of safety-related interlocks and hardware system control to ensure fail-safe operations in case of control failure. I also gained expertise in power circuitry, including power factor correction units.I used Altium Designer for PCB and schematic drawing, and my contributions were crucial in delivering high-quality products to meet client specifications.

Hong Kong

In my role at the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, I focused on the fabrication of micro and nano-scale materials for research purposes. My responsibilities included conducting experiments to test the mechanical properties of the materials using micro-electromechanical devices. Additionally, I developed an automatic script using MATLAB to process experiment data, which was then stored in a Microsoft Access database. This self-initiated project significantly improved efficiency by reducing the time required for data management and report generation.

Hong Kong

As a liaison between the marketing department in Hong Kong and the engineering management team in China, my main responsibility was to assist in the planning of manufacturing schedules to meet the deadlines set by different clients. This role helped me to develop my time management skills. Additionally, I worked towards maximizing the productivity and efficiency of our production lines, while ensuring that the output quality remained high. To achieve this, I collaborated closely with the product testing team and manufacturing engineers, conducting regular quality investigations.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Robotics

Research interest: Jumping robots, linkage mechanism and structure, scaling of robots,

Master Of Science - Ms, Aerospace, Aeronautical And Astronautical Engineering, Distinction (75%)

Master dissertation: Bio-inspired perched landing unmanned aircraft The aim of the project was to investigate the aerodynamics involved.

Bachelor Of Engineering - Be, Mechatronics, Robotics, And Automation Engineering, 2:1

Activities and Societies: Badminton society, CityU robotic teamUndergraduate dissertation: Solar-powered, actuated weather monitoring.