Santa Clara University

Chris Kitts

	Title:	Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
	Office:	EC 323D
	Phone:	408-554-4382
	Fax:	408-554-5474
	Email:	ckitts@scu.edu
	Website:	http://rsl.engr.scu.edu, www.crestnrp.org
	Education:	Ph.D. Stanford University, Mechanical Engineering, 2006. M.P.A., University of Colorado, International & Defense Policy, 1996. M.S., Stanford University, Aerospace Engineering, 1992. B.S.E, Princeton University, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, 1987.
	Interests:	Robotics, Teleoperation, Mechatronics and Control Systems

• Biography
• Current Research Interests
• Recent Publications
• Awards
• Courses Taught

Biography Courses Taught

Prof. Kitts is an Associate Professor at Santa Clara University where he serves as the Director of the Robotic Systems Laboratory.  He is also the Director of the Center for Robotic Exploration and Space Technologies, a multi-institution consortium or academic institutions focusing on aerospace research and education and which is located at the NASA Ames Research Park.

At Santa Clara, Prof. Kitts runs an aggressive field robotics program specializing in the design, control and teleoperation of highly capable robotic system for scientific discovery, technology validation, and engineering education.  These systems include underwater vehicles, clusters of land rovers, autonomous aircraft, and microspacecraft.  These systems provide unique experimental opportunities for demonstrating research innovations in multi-robot systems, model-based anomaly management, and other research topics within the Lab.

Prof. Kitts’ professional experience includes work ranging from a research engineer to an operational satellite constellation mission controller, and he has held appointments as an officer in the U.S. Air Force Space Command, as a NASA contractor with Caelum Research Corporation, as a DoD Research Fellow at the U.S. Phillips Laboratory, as the Graduate Student Director of Stanford University’s Space Systems Development Laboratory, and as a technical consultant.  He holds degrees from Princeton University, the University of Colorado, and Stanford University.

Current Research Interests

Model-Based Anomaly Management: Using fundamental system descriptions in order to systematically compute conjectures regarding the detection of anomaly detection, the identification of possible anomaly diagnoses, and the generation of applicable anomaly resolutions.   Experimental applications range from the health management of orbiting spacecraft to automobile diagnostics to the dynamic control of underwater propulsion systems.  Sponsored projects relating to this work include the model-based operation of spacecraft for NASA and the Air Force.

Cluster Space Control of Multiple Mobile Robots: Using the cluster space state representation to naturally specify and control the motion of multiple mobile robots in an autonomous or single-pilot system.  Experimental applications include multi-rover testbeds for object manipulation/transport as well as for prototyping coordinated navigation of UAVs/ASVs for remote sensing and in situ monitoring applications.  Sponsored projects relating to this work include a new NSF program in the development of a high performance, flexible multi-robot testbed.  Dr. Kitts is currently serving as the Guest Editor for the IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine Special Issue on Multi-Robot Systems.

Internet-Based Hardware-in-the-Loop Laboratories for Tele-Education: Developing, assessing the value of, and applying internet-based monitoring and control systems in order to enable remote use of hardware laboratories for engineering education.  Systems are being used and assessed in courses on control systems, mechatronics and robotics.

Recent Publications 

Prof. Kitts has (co)authored more than 100 publications relating to his research, education and programmatic activities.    recent peer reviewed journal articles include:

C. Kitts, K. Stanhouse, and P. Chindaphorn.  "Cluster Space Collision Avoidance for Mobile Multi-Robot Systems."  In draft for submission to International Journal of Robotics Research.

C. Kitts. "Model-Based Space System Anomaly Management - Part 1:  A First Principles Foundation." In draft for sub to IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering.

C. Kitts. "Model-Based Space System Anomaly Management – Part 2:  Implementation and Application." In draft for sub to IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering. 

C. Kitts. "Cluster Space Specification and Control of Mobile Multi-Robot Systems: Part 1 - Conceptual Framework." Submitted to IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

C. Kitts, R. Ishizu, P. Chindaphorn, T. To, B. Tully, and K. Stanhouse, "Cluster Space Specification and Control of Mobile Multi-Robot Systems: Part 2 - Experimental Demonstration." Submitted to IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

M. Swartwout, C. Kitts, R. Twiggs, B. Smith, T. Kenny, R. Lu, K. Stattenfield, R. Batra, and F. Pranajaya. "The Sapphire Microsatellite: Mission Results." Accepted for publication in Acta Astronautica.

C. Kitts. "A First Principles Approach for Managing Anomalies in Space Systems." IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, Special Issue on Automation Science, to appear December 2006.

J.G. Moore, R.A. Schweickert, J.E. Robinson, M.M. Lahren, and C.A. Kitts. "Tsunami-generated boulder ridges in Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada." Geology, v 34 no 11, November 2006, pp. 965-968.

M. Swartwout, C. Kitts, and J. Cutler. "Sapphire: A Case Study in University-Class Satellites." AIAA Journal on Spacecraft and Rockets, vol. 43 no. 5, September-October 2006.

C. Kitts and N. Quinn, "An Interdisciplinary Field Robotics Program for Undergraduate Computer Science and Engineering Education." ACM Journal on Educational Resources in Computing, v 4, n 2, June 2005.

C. Kitts. "Surf, Turf, and Above the Earth: An Aggressive Robotics Development Program for Integrative Undergraduate Education." IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, vol 10, no. 3, pp. 30-36, 2003.

C. Kitts and M. Swartwout. "Beacon Monitoring: Reducing the Cost of Nominal Spacecraft Operations." Journal of Reducing Space Mission Cost, vol 1, no. 4, pp. 305-338, 2002.

Awards 

NASA Team Achievement Award, 2004; Japan-U.S. Science Technology and Space Applications Program Outstanding Team Award, 2003; Santa Clara University Outstanding Service Award, 2000; Stanford University Lyon’s Service Award, 1999; AIAA National Award for Graduate Research in Intelligent Systems, 1998; Outstanding Teaching Award, Stanford University Dept. of Aeronautics & Astronautics, 1995; Dike Research Award, Princeton University Dept. of Mechanical & Aerospace Eng., 1986; Marshall Research Award, Princeton University Dept. of Mechanical & Aerospace Eng., 1986.  Technical paper awards: AIAA Conf. on Small Satellites (1994, 1996, 1998) and ITC Telemetering Conf., 1995. SAE Doctoral Scholar, Dept. of Defense NDSEG Fellow, Stanford Future Professors Program Fellow.

Courses Taught

Undergraduate

Graduate