Professor William “Bob” Norris came back to campus three years ago, bringing a storied background in education, industry, and the military.
Bob Norris
Primary Research Area
- Decision and Control Systems
Clinical Associate Professor
210B Transportation Building
phone: (217) 300-6647
email: wrnorris@illinois.edu
For more information
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy, UIUC, Agricultural Engineering, Concentration: Control Theory, Systems Engineering, Robotics, 2001.
- Master of Business Administration, Duke Universiity, General Management, Decision Analysis 2007.
- Master of Science, UIUC, General Engineering, Concentration: Control Theory. 1997.
- Bachelor of Science, UIUC, General Engineering, Concentration: Control Systems/ Robotics, 1996.
Academic Positions
- Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, UIUC
- Affiliate, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UIUC
- Affiliate, Center for Digital Agriculture, NCSA
Other Professional Employment
- Business Owner/ Consultant - Robust Smart Control Solutions LLC, iMS2, LLC - Rock Hill SC 2009-2017
- Entrepreneur in Residence - Innovation Fund North Carolina - 2013-2015
- Deere and Company - research and product development - senior, staff engineer, program manager, business manager 2001-2009
Resident Instruction
- SE 397 Independent Study
- SE 497 Independent Study
- SE 597 Independent Study
- SE 498 Systems Engineering
- SE498 Introduction to Autonomous Systems
- IE597 Independent Study
Course Development
- SE 498 Systems Engineering
- SE498 Introduction to Autonomous Systems
Research Interests
- Mechatronics
- Control Systems
- Expert Systems
- Decision Analysis
- Adaptive Systems
- Deep Learning
- Machine Learning
- Robotics
- Systems Engineering
- Autonomous/ Unmanned Systems
Research Areas
- Data Analytics
- Decision and Control Systems
- Design and Manufacturing
Selected Articles in Journals
- Norris, W.R.,Patterson,A.E. (2019). System-Level Testing and Evaluation Plan for Field Robots: A Tutorial with Test Course Layouts. Robotics 8 (4), 83.
- Patterson, A.E., Yuan, Y., and Norris, W.R. (2019). Development of User-Integrated Semi-Autonomous Lawn Mowing Systems: A Systems Engineering Perspective and Proposed Architecture. AgriEngineering 1 (3), 453-474.
- J. Reid, J. Schueller, and W. Norris. “Reducing the Manufacturing and Management Costs of Tractors and Agricultural Equipment”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of Scientific Research and Development”. Vol. V.Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Club of Bologna meeting November 16, 2003. Bologna, Italy.
- Norris, W. R., R. Sreenivas, Q. Zhang, and J. C. Lopez–Dominguez. 2001. Hierarchical rule–base reduction for a fuzzy logic based human operator performance model. In Intelligent Engineering Systems through Artificial Neural Networks, Vol. 11: 285–294. C. H. Dagli, A. L. Buczak, J. Ghosh, M. J. Embrechts, O. Ersoy, and S. Kercal, eds. New York, N.Y.: ASME Press.
- Norris, W.R., Q. Zhang and R. Sreenivas, 2006. Rule-base reduction for a fuzzy human operator performance model. Applied Engineering Agriculture, 22(4): 611-618.
- Norris, W. R., Zhang Q. and Sreenivas, R. S. A Human Operator Performance Model for Designing the Steering Control System of an Articulated Off-road Vehicle. Accepted January 2003. Special Edition - Computers and Electronics in Agriculture.
- Norris, W. R., Q. Zhang, R. Sreenivas, and J. C. Lopez-Dominguez. 2003. A design tool for operator-adaptive steering controller. Transactions of the ASAE 46(3): 883-891.
Articles in Conference Proceedings
- Cui, H., Zhang, J., and Norris, W.R. (2020) A Safety and Reliability Enhanced Autonomous Driving Platform using ROS2. IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation 2020.
- Lewandowski,J., Nagi R., Norris, W.R., Sreenivas, R., Nottage, D., Soylemezoglu, A. An Ontology for Semantic Classification of Construction Areas and Tasks. Proceedings of the 2020 IISE Annual Conference
- Norris, W. R., Sreenivas, R. S. On a Control Policy that Maintains Indoor Air Quality in a Variable-Air-Volume Air-Handling Unit. Proceedings of the 1997 IEEE/ASME Conference on Control Applications, Hartford, Connecticut, October 1997.
- Norris, W. R., Sreenivas, R. S., and Zhang Q. A Real-Time Human Operator Performance Model for Performing Adaptive System Design. Proceedings of the Automation Technology for Off-road Equipment (ATOE) 2002, ASAE, Chicago, Illinois, July 2002.
- Norris, W. R., Sreenivas, R. S., and Zhang Q. An Approach Using a Neural Network Based Adaptive Filter for Performing Real-Time, On-line Qualitative System Design. Proceedings of the Automation Technology for Off-road Equipment (ATOE) 2002, ASAE, Chicago, Illinois, July 2002.
- Norris, W. R., Sreenivas, R. S., Zhang Q. and Lopez - Dominguez, J. Qualitative Control System Design Incorporating Operator Preferred Performance Characteristics Using Virtual Environments. Proceedings of the SCI 2001 Conference, IEEE, Orlando, Florida, July 2001. Best Control Systems Paper at Conference.
- Norris, W. R., Sreenivas, R. S., Zhang Q. and Lopez - Dominguez, J. Virtual Design Tools: A Technique for Performing Qualitative Human-in-the-Loop System Design. Proceedings of the 2001 ASAE Annual International Meeting, Sacramento, California, July 2001. Honorable Mention for Best Paper.
- Norris, W.R., Reid John F. Human Perception Modeling Applied to Autonomous Agricultural System Path Following Control Applications. Accepted to AgEng2004 Leuven, Belgium International Conference on Agricultural Engineering Sept. 2004.
- Norris, W.R., Reid John F. The Assessment of Path Following Capability for Autonomous Agricultural Vehicle Systems. Accepted to AgEng2004 Leuven, Belgium International Conference on Agricultural Engineering Sept. 2004.
- Sengupta, S., Nagi R., Norris, W.R., Sreenivas, R., Nottage, D., Soylemezoglu, A. A Balancing Algorithm for Robust Decentralized Parallel Machine Scheduling to Minimize Makespan. Proceedings of the 2020 IISE Annual Conference
- Xu, J. and Norris, W.R. (2019) Hierarchical Mamdani-type Fuzzy Logic Control Design with Stability Criteria Accepted and to be published in CACRE 2019 and indexd by ACM.
Invited Lectures
- Autonomous Systems Engineering - No Strings Attached
- Model Based Control System Design
- Model Based Control System Design and a Human Operator Modeling.
- Automation and Robotics in Agriculture
Other Publications
- Patterson, A.E., Yuan, Y., and Norris, W.R. (2019). System-level development of a user-integrated semi-autonomous lawn mowing system: Problem overview, basic requirements, and proposed architecture. ArXiv Preprint, Accepted, pending announcement and digital identifier.
- Norris, W.R. and Patterson, A.E. (2019). Remote Sensing of Weeds in Field Crops via Image Processing: A Short Literature Collection. Technical report, IDEALS – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Available online at http://hdl.handle.net/2142/104209.
- Yuan, Y., Patterson, A.E., Patterson, T.L., and Norris, W.R. (2019). User-Integrated Semi-Autonomous Lawn Mowing Systems: Example Basic, Functional, Non-Functional, and Safety and Security Requirement. Technical report, IDEALS - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Available online at http://hdl.handle.net/2142/104210.
- Norris, W.R. and Patterson, A.E. (2019). Automation, autonomy, and semi-autonomy: A brief definition relative to robotics and machine systems. IDEALS - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Available online at http://hdl.handle.net/2142/104214.
Patents
- (Provisional) A low-profile and high-load ball-balancing rolling system: A.W. Bleakney, J.R. Elliott, E.T. Hsiao-Wecksler, P. B. Malik, D. C. McDonagh, A. K. Rausin, W.R. Norris, J. L. Almeida de Souza Ramos, Y. Chen, C. Xiao, Y. Pei, S. Y. Song
- (Current Disclosure) Localization engine for navigation and control of autonomous lawn-mowing vehicles
- (Current Disclosure) Mapping and area-exclusion system for use by autonomous lawn-mowing vehicles
- (Current Disclosure) Area boundary definition system for use by autonomous lawn-mowing vehicles
- (Current Disclosure) Ad Hoc, Reconfigurable, Mesh Network Beacon System for Use in Obstructed and Unobstructed Environments: W.R. Norris and A.E. Patterson. (September 2018).
- EP2551133 (B1) Active suspension system
- EP2033118 (B1) Multiple mode system with multiple controllers
- 9,429,944 Versatile robotic control module
- 9,098,080 Systems and methods for switching between autonomous and manual operation of a vehicle
- 9,043,016 Versatile robotic control module
- 8,874,300 Systems and methods for obstacle avoidance
- 8,825,294 Vehicle center of gravity active suspension control system
- 8,510,034 Perception model for trajectory following autonomous and human augmented steering control
- 8,498,796 Perception model for trajectory following autonomous and human augmented speed control
- 8,473,140 Networked multi-role robotic vehicle
- 8,195,364 Perception model for trajectory following autonomous and human augmented steering control
- 8,020,657 Systems and methods for obstacle avoidance
- 7,895,135 Human perception model for speed control performance
- 7,894,951 Systems and methods for switching between autonomous and manual operation of a vehicle
- 7,769,512 Vehicle steering control method and performance
- 7,743,159 Reusable application framework for translating between a client and an external entity
- (Provisional) Neural Networks as a Modulation Surface for Electrohydraulic Systems: W.R. Norris, J.C.L. Dominguez, R.S. Sreenivas and Q. Zhang. (November 2000).
- (Provisional) Adapative Modulation Curve for Electrohydraulic Systems using Neural Networks: W.R. Norris, J.C.L. Dominguez, R.S. Sreenivas and Q. Zhang. (November 2000).
- (Provisional) Virtual Interpreter and Trajectory Mapping: W.R. Norris, J.C.L. Dominguez and R.S. Sreenivas. (November 2000).
- (Provisional) Virtual Design Tools: W.R. Norris, J.C.L. Dominguez and R.S. Sreenivas. (November 2000).
- (Provisional) Adaptive Modulation Curve for Electrohydraulic Systems using Adaptive Optimization Functions: W.R. Norris, J.C.L. Dominguez, R.S. Sreenivas and Q. Zhang. (November 2000).
- (Provisional) Human Performance Modeling Using Fuzzy Logic: W.R. Norris, J.C.L. Dominguez and R.S. Sreenivas. (November 2000).
Reports
- Norris, W. R. Intelligent Vehicle System Evaluation Methodology – Guidance, Obstacle Detection, Safeguarding and Safety. Submitted Technical Report, John Deere, January 2003.
- Norris, W. R. Multi-attribute Utility Analysis for Evaluation of and Selection of Autonomous Systems. Submitted Technical Report, John Deere, January 2003.
- Norris, W. R. Intelligent Vehicle System Evaluation Methodology, T-4477 P-9120, Technical Report, John Deere, December 2002.
- Norris, W. R. Steering Control System Evaluation for The 5510n Autonomous Tractor For Orchard Operations TR-281 P-9120, Technical Report, John Deere, December 2002.
- Norris, W. R. UtilRate Programmer’s Manual, United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, USACERL. September 2002.
- Norris, W. R. UtilRate User Manual, Technical Report, United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, USACERL. September 2002.
- Van Blaricum, V., Norris, W. R. Cathodic Protection Equipment Demonstration on Remote Locations, Technical Report, United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, USACERL. July 2001.
- Van Blaricum, V., Norris, W. R. Cathodic Protection Equipment Demonstration. User Guide, United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, USACERL. April, 1997.
- Van Blaricum, V., Norris, W. R. Cathodic Protection Equipment Demonstration. Technical Report, United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, USACERL. April, 1997.
- Defense Air Quality Management System (DAQMS) Version 0.5, Software Development and User Manual, United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, USACERL, December 1997.
- Auxiliary Power Supply for the Electronic Control Module, Cummins Engine (Power), Senior Design Project. May 1996.
Professional Societies
- INCOSE
- IISE
- ASME
- IEEE
Service to Federal and State Government
- NSF funding Review Committee, Nanotechnology 2012
- Army Basic Research Review 2013
Research Honors
- Robert A. Jewett Endowment (2020)
- William A. Chittenden Award (1998)
- Research Assistant of the Year Award for ERDC and the Corps of Engineers (2000)
Public Service Honors
- Forever Duke Alumni Award (2013)
Courses Taught
- SE 498 - Autonomous Vehicle Sys Lab
- SE 498 - Autonomous Vehicle Systems
- SE 498 - Systems Engineering
Related news
Professor Norris funded for project by Discovery Partners Institute