Dr. Hans DeSmidt is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering (MABE). His research interests include helicopter and rotor dynamics, active vibration control, structural health monitoring, rotocraft propulsion, and adaptive structures. Some of DeSmidt’s recent research focuses on developing vibration-based damage identification algorithms suited for time-varying dynamical systems that typically arise in the description of structures involving rotating components such as gears, bearings, drive shafts, turbine blades, and helicopter rotors. This work was funded under a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award, NSF’s most prestigious award for junior faculty who integrate outstanding research with excellent educational outreach.

DeSmidt has received two other NSF awards, a NASA research grant, and funding through the National Rotorcraft Technology Center. DeSmidt’s research will help solve major challenges in gear system vibration control. Because gear systems are widely used in energy and power, aircraft, automobile, and marine/ship systems, effectively suppressing gear system vibration can help increase system durability and reliability and also improve the human operating and living environment. Reducing gear-induced vibration and associated noise can play a critical role in wind energy development.

These new approaches have thus far yielded significantly enhanced damage-detection sensitivity and robustness for rotordynamic systems with relevance to critical power transmission applications. DeSmidt hopes his research will have long-reaching effects on the safety, energy-efficiency, and longevity of helicopters, planes, and other aerospace vehicles.

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