Michael Triantafyllou
Encyclopedia
Michael Triantafyllou is Professor of Mechanical and Ocean Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Center for Ocean Engineering, Head of the Area of Ocean Science and Engineering, and Director of the Testing Tank and Propeller Tunnel Facilities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT). He is best known for his work on underwater robot
s, based upon and emulating the performance of fish, including the six-foot laboratory robot the RoboTuna
(part of a permanent exhibition at the Science Museum
in London since 1998), the free-swimming RoboPike (1998), and the RoboTurtle (2005).
Triantafyllou was born and brought up in Athens
, Greece
. After graduating from the National Technical University of Athens
in 1974 (Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering), he continued with graduate studies at MIT. In 1977 he graduated with a dual S.M.
in Ocean Engineering and Mechanical Engineering in 1977, followed in 1979 by an Sc.D. in Ocean Engineering. Upon receiving his doctorate, Triantafyllou took up a teaching post at MIT in the Department of Ocean Engineering.
Triantafyllou has been a visiting scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
, Chairman of the Joint MIT/WHOI Program Committee in Oceanographic Engineering, and visiting professor at the National Technical University of Athens in Greece, Kyushu University
in Japan
, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
in Trondheim
, Norway
, and ETH Zurich
in Switzerland
.
"The main focus of his resent research has been on flow control, vortex-induced vibrations, and biomimetics, the discipline that explores what can be learned about the physics of underwater propulsion from live animals."http://oe.mit.edu/content/view/20/40/
In the summer of 2001, he undertook the mission of recovering a mediæval shipwreck off the coast of a small Greek island called Nysiros
. They mainly used AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
) to find it. The shipwreck contained a large cargo of plates, most of which were undamaged. In the summer of 2004, he again successfully found a shipwreck, this time off the Greek island of Kithira.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT). He is best known for his work on underwater robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s, based upon and emulating the performance of fish, including the six-foot laboratory robot the RoboTuna
RoboTuna
The RoboTuna is a robotic fish project involving a series of robotic fish designed and built by a team of scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.- The Project :The project started in 1993...
(part of a permanent exhibition at the Science Museum
Science Museum (London)
The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction....
in London since 1998), the free-swimming RoboPike (1998), and the RoboTurtle (2005).
Triantafyllou was born and brought up in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. After graduating from the National Technical University of Athens
National Technical University of Athens
The National Technical University of Athens , sometimes simply known as Athens Polytechnic, is among the oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions of Greece....
in 1974 (Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering), he continued with graduate studies at MIT. In 1977 he graduated with a dual S.M.
Double degree
A double-degree program, sometimes called a combined degree, conjoint degree, dual degree, or simultaneous degree program, involves a student's working for two different university degrees in parallel, either at the same institution or at different institutions , completing them in less time than...
in Ocean Engineering and Mechanical Engineering in 1977, followed in 1979 by an Sc.D. in Ocean Engineering. Upon receiving his doctorate, Triantafyllou took up a teaching post at MIT in the Department of Ocean Engineering.
Triantafyllou has been a visiting scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, nonprofit research and higher education facility dedicated to the study of all aspects of marine science and engineering and to the education of marine researchers. Established in 1930, it is the largest independent oceanographic research...
, Chairman of the Joint MIT/WHOI Program Committee in Oceanographic Engineering, and visiting professor at the National Technical University of Athens in Greece, Kyushu University
Kyushu University
Kyushu University is one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It can be seen in the several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:The university has been ranked 8th in 2010 and 2009 in the ranking "Truly Strong Universities" by Toyo Keizai...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology , commonly known as NTNU, is located in Trondheim. NTNU is the second largest of the eight universities in Norway, and, as its name suggests, has the main national responsibility for higher education in engineering and technology...
in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich or ETH Zürich is an engineering, science, technology, mathematics and management university in the City of Zurich, Switzerland....
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
"The main focus of his resent research has been on flow control, vortex-induced vibrations, and biomimetics, the discipline that explores what can be learned about the physics of underwater propulsion from live animals."http://oe.mit.edu/content/view/20/40/
In the summer of 2001, he undertook the mission of recovering a mediæval shipwreck off the coast of a small Greek island called Nysiros
Nisyros
Nisyros is a volcanic Greek island and municipality located in the Aegean Sea. It is part of the Dodecanese group of islands, situated between the islands of Kos and Tilos. Its shape is approximately round, with a diameter of about , and an area of . Several other islets are found in the direct...
. They mainly used AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
An autonomous underwater vehicle is a robot which travels underwater without requiring input from an operator. AUVs constitute part of a larger group of undersea systems known as unmanned underwater vehicles, a classification that includes non-autonomous remotely operated underwater vehicles...
) to find it. The shipwreck contained a large cargo of plates, most of which were undamaged. In the summer of 2004, he again successfully found a shipwreck, this time off the Greek island of Kithira.
Sources
- Center for Ocean Engineering
- "Ask the Scientists" — interview