Maurizio Porfiri

Maurizio Porfiri (born Rome, Italy) is an Italian electrical engineer, noted for his work with robotic fish and aquatic research.[1] His research focuses on network theory, dynamical systems, and multiphysics modeling of complex systems.[2] He is a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor at the New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering.[1][3]

Maurizio Porfiri
EducationVirginia Polytechnic Institute, Sapienza University of Rome
OccupationProfessor
OrganizationNew York University Polytechnic School of Engineering

Education

Porfiri earned his Ph.D. in engineering mechanics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He also holds a Ph.D. in theoretical and applied mechanics from Sapienza University of Rome[4] and the University of Toulon.[5]

Career & awards

Porfiri is a professor at New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering in the mechanical and aerospace engineering department. He is founder and director of the Dynamical Systems Laboratory which conducts research of modeling and control of complex dynamical systems with a developed expertise in biomimetics and underwater applications.[1] In 2008, Porfiri won the NSF Career Award for dynamical systems.[5] Popular Science listed Porfiri in their Brilliant 10 in 2010.[6][7] In 2013, he was named the ASME Dynamic Systems and Controls Division Outstanding Young Investigator for his contributions to biomimetic underwater robotics and collective dynamics of networked dynamical systems.[2] He earned the ASME Gary Anderson Early Achievement Award that same year.[8] In 2015, he won the ASME C.D. Mote, Jr. Early Career Award.[9][10]

Research

In 2012, Porfiri used robotic rovers to explore the Gowanus Canal in an attempt to learn how the toxic water affects wildlife. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation(NSF).[11]

Porfiri and his team at the New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering have designed bio-inspired robotic fish to determine whether they could act as leaders to real fish.[6] The robotic models provide predictable, controllable stimuli alongside live animals which is repeatable and consistent.[12] Porfiri has shown that the tail movement of a robotic fish can influence whether or not a zebrafish will accept the robot as a leader.[13][14] A school of Golden shiner followed the robotic fish in school-like positions in a water tunnel experiment,[15] even though the robot is bigger than the fish and not the same color.[16] The goal is to lead live fish away from dangerous areas including oil or chemical spill and natural disasters.[17] The research was funded by a NSF Faculty Early Career Development award.[18]

Porfiri has conducted experiments with robotic replicas which evoke fear responses in zebrafish,[19] and worked with the connection between alcohol and social behavior, finding that alcohol reduces fear in zebrafish.[20] He led a team from both the New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign which found that female killifish prefer males with yellow fins.[21]

In 2015, Porfiri's research in the directional information flow underlying collective animal behavior will be paired with education and outreach activities in Brooklyn public schools through the STEM program.[22]

Selected bibliography
  • Y. Cha, M. Porfiri, “Mechanics and electrochemistry of ionic polymer metal composites”, Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 71, 156-178 (2014).
  • J. Laut, E. Henry, O. Nov, M. Porfiri, “Development of a mechatronics-based citizen science platform for aquatic environmental monitoring”, IEEE/ASME Transaction on Mechatronics 19(5), 1541-1551 (2014).
  • P. DeLellis, G. Polverino, G. Ustuner, N. Abaid, S. Macri, E. M. Bollt, M. Porfiri, “Collective behavior across animal species”, Scientific Reports 4, 3723 (2014).
  • M. Aureli, V. Kopman, M. Porfiri, "Free-locomotion of underwater vehicles actuated by ionic polymer metal composites", IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 15, 603-614 (2010).

References
  1. "Maurizio Porfiri". World Science Festival. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  2. "ASME selects Maurizio Porfiri as Outstanding Young Investigator". New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering. October 17, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  3. Ilan Mester (April 8, 2015). "Ultra-realistic Robotic Predator Scares Fish". Engineering.com. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  4. Erin Newton (August 31, 2012). "Creativity As Key To Engineering Innovation". LiveScience. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  5. "Maurizio Porfiri". NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  6. Susannah F. Locke (November 18, 2010). "Brilliant 10: Maurizio Porfiri, The Water Wizard". Popular Science. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  7. Gaudino, Martina (16 May 2012). "Ricerca e lavora in America, il caso di Maurizio Porfiri (Research and works in America, the case of Maurizio Porfiri)" (in Italian). CorriereUniv. Archived from the original on 27 October 2012.
  8. "Gary Anderson Early Achievement Award". ASME. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  9. "NYU School of Engineering Professor Honored for Contributions to Mechanical Vibration". NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  10. "Newsmakers: Maurizio Porfiri, PhD". American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015.
  11. Vivian Yee (October 14, 2012). "A Robot Plumbs the Depths of the Gowanus Canal". The New York Times. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  12. "Lubricant Based on Nanoparticles and Ionic Liquids for Extreme Conditions". AzoNano. April 7, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  13. "Robot-fish interact with live fish". The Royal Society. November 14, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  14. "Robot Fish Could Save Real Ones From Oil Spills and Other Ecological Disasters, Study Suggests". Huffington Post. March 2, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  15. Dave Mosher (February 22, 2012). "Real Fish Welcome Robotic Overlord Into Their School". Wired. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  16. Jesse Emspak (February 28, 2012). "Robot Schools Fish". Discovery. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  17. Ben Coxworth (March 2, 2012). "Robot becomes a leader among fish". GizMag. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  18. Hallie Deaktor Kapner (February 24, 2011). "Robot Fish Can Trick the Real Thing". LiveScience. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  19. "Ultra-Realistic Robot Fish Can Scare A Real One". Science 2.0. April 9, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  20. Tim Hornyak (August 2, 2013). "Guess what? Drunk fish aren't scared of robot fish". CNet. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  21. "Judging a fish by its color: For female bluefin killifish, love is a yellow mate". Phys.org. September 16, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  22. "With a little help from robotic, researchers investigate communications behind swarming". Phys.org. February 10, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
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