Kaveh Ashenayi, Ph.D., PE

About

Kaveh Ashenayi, Ph.D., is chair and professor of electrical and computer engineering who specializes in “Intelligent Systems” and their application in power systems. His research involves developing techniques to make Integrated Renewable Energy Systems (IRES) dispatch-able. This allows for integration of such systems in any grid.

To accomplish that goal, he conducts research in the power electronics field. His team works on developing efficient bi-directional multi-port DC-DC converters (BDMPC). This device is an essential part of any IRES that is to be integrated into a utility grid.

In addition, his team has developed general architecture for safety assured AI based autonomous controllers for use in IRES. This controller assures safe/efficient operation of the BDMPC. Same controller tuned properly, assures safe/efficient operation of the overall IRES.

Drones can utilize an intelligent controller developed using the aforementioned architecture. His research team members embedded within Vehicle Autonomy and Intelligence Lab (VAIL) work on developing safe and autonomous controllers for drones.

A key feature of any controller that assures safe operation is being able to detect/predict component failures. The control architecture developed by Ashenayi’s team does allow for integration of such capability. A project is currently underway to create fault detection/prediction subsystem.

Awards and Honors

• “Aerial Camera System” Patent No. 20,090,207,250; 8,199,197; 20,140,264,055; 9964836
• “System and Process for Detecting Phosphonate” Patent No. 20,140,264,055
• “Optical pH sensor” Patent No. 7,961,327
• “Neural Network for Cell Image Analysis for Identification of Abnormal Cells” Patent No. 6,463,438
• “Prediction of Prostate Cancer Progression by Analysis of Selected Predictive Parameters” Patent No. 6,025,128
• “A Sextant Core Biopsy Predictive Mechanism for Non-Organ Confined Disease Status” Patent No. 5,989,811