Ashrith Edukulla

About Me 👋

I'm Ashrith Edukulla, an undergraduate studying Robotics Engineering at the University of Michigan. I love building robotic systems end-to-end — from low-level embedded firmware to dynamics, planning, and full autonomy.

My main interests are control, motion planning, SLAM, embedded systems, and building real robots that actually work in the real world. This semester I’m diving deep into ROB 415 (Control), ROB 320 (Planning & ROS2), ROB 330 (Localization & Mapping), and EECS 281 (DSA) — a combination that lets me connect the math, algorithms, and implementation behind modern robotic systems.

I’ve worked on a range of projects: a motion-sensing robotic limb with real-time IMU-based finger control, FROST — an autonomous black-ice detection robot, SLAM and exploration on the MBot platform, and embedded control firmware for the Michigan Mars Rover using STM32 and ROS. At the Synergic Adaptive Machinas (SAM) Lab, I’m researching swarm robotics under Prof. Steven Ceron — developing a 9-motor control system and UI for programmable micro-robot collectives.

I’m always trying to bridge theory and implementation: modeling dynamics in MATLAB/Julia, writing C++ for embedded control, debugging hardware at 2 AM, and building systems until they behave exactly the way I want. I’m always open to collaborating on cool robotics ideas — if you’re working on something interesting, let’s connect!

Education 🎓

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

B.E. in Robotics Engineering — GPA: 3.96 / 4.0

📍 Ann Arbor, MI, United States

📅 Aug 2024 – Dec 2026

Honors & Awards: Ranked 3rd in World Robotics Olympiad • 4× Medalist at International Youth Robotics Contest • 3× AMC Qualifier • 2× AIME Qualifier

Current (Fall 2025): ROB 415 (Control of Robotic Systems), ROB 320 (Planning & ROS Integration), ROB 330 (Localization & Mapping), EECS 281 (Data Structures & Algorithms)

Completed: Circuit Design, Robot Optimization, Simultaneous Localization & Mapping, Linear Algebra, Robotic Differential Equations

Work Experience 🏢

📍 Weston, FL / United States

Stryker — Mako Robotics

May 2026 – Aug 2026

Incoming Robotics Software Engineering Intern

Upcoming role developing robotics software for the Mako surgical robotics platform.
Contributing to perception, motion planning, and system-level software for real-world medical robots.
Collaborating with cross-functional R&D teams to validate algorithms in simulation and on hardware.

📍 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

EECS 467: Autonomous Robotics

Jan 2026 – May 2026

Instructional Aide

Assisted instruction in autonomous robotics, including perception, SLAM, planning, and control.
Supported students with ROS-based labs, system debugging, and algorithm implementation.
Held office hours and provided guidance on multi-sensor fusion, navigation, and robot software architecture.

📍 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Field Robotics Group (FRoG) Lab

Jan 2026 – Present

Undergraduate Researcher — Perception & Planning

Conducting research in robot perception and motion planning under real-time and uncertainty constraints.
Developing and evaluating planning algorithms informed by perception outputs and environment representations.
Contributing to ongoing research projects aimed at robust, scalable autonomy for real-world robotic systems.

📍 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Synergic Adaptive Machinas (SAM) Lab

Aug 2025 – Dec 2025

Undergraduate Researcher

Researching macro- and micro-scale robot swarms under Prof. Steven Ceron to study collective motion and environmental interaction.
Developing decentralized control strategies for physical reconfiguration and emergent coordination.
Co-authoring a research paper on adaptive swarm behavior and distributed control in reconfigurable collectives.

📍 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

ROB 201: Robot Differential Equations

Aug 2025 – Dec 2025

Instructional Aide

Supported instruction in ODE modeling, linear systems, and control for undergraduate robotics students.
Led weekly office hours and problem-solving sessions using Julia notebooks, simulations, and visualizations.
Assisted with labs, grading, and clarification of Laplace transforms, transfer functions, and stability analysis.

📍 Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Michigan Mars Rover Team

Nov 2024 – May 2025

Embedded Software Engineer

Programmed STM32 firmware to control servos, LEDs, and accelerometers for subsystem actuation and feedback.
Developed embedded drivers and ROS nodes for motor coordination and sensor data handling.
Contributed to navigation and control tuning for reliable performance in dynamic rover environments.

📍 Remote / India

LeapLabs

Apr 2023 – Jul 2023

Robotics Assistant Intern

Mentored students in developing robotics prototypes using sensors, actuators, and embedded systems.
Assisted in debugging hardware setups and delivering engaging lessons in robotics fundamentals.

📍 India

Pre-Indian Mathematical Society (PIMS)

Sep 2022 – May 2023

Founder & Organizer

Founded and organized India’s largest student-led math camp and examination program.
Managed logistics, curriculum, and collaborations for a 200+ participant event.

🔧 Projects

🚗📍

Full-Stack AV

Invariant EKF Localization + Map Alignment

Full-Stack AV: Localization Stack (IEKF)

Built an autonomous-vehicle localization pipeline using IEKF sensor fusion (IMU + wheel odometry + GNSS + stereo/mono VO + LiDAR), with map-based corrections for drift-bounded pose tracking.

#IEKF #SensorFusion #GNSS #VIO/VO #LiDAR #Mapping #ROS2

MBot Autonomous SLAM System

Implemented full SLAM on the MBot platform: laser-based localization, occupancy-grid mapping, and autonomous exploration using frontier detection and path planning.

#ROS2 #SLAM #Localization #PathPlanning #A*

9-Motor Swarm Control UI (SAM Lab)

Building a C++ HTTP + serial bridge and browser-based UI to control a 9-motor array for swarm robotics experiments, with per-motor speed/direction control, real-time feedback, and preset motion patterns.

#C++ #Embedded #WebUI #Serial

Humanoid Leg Dynamics (DSC Lab)

MATLAB-based dynamic simulation of a realistic humanoid leg, modeling joint torques, ground contact, and human-like gait to study control and energy usage.

#MATLAB #HumanoidRobotics #Dynamics #Simulation

Motion-Sensing Robotic Limb

Built an accelerometer-based robotic limb with precise real-time finger control and motion sensing.

#RoboticArm #C++ #STM32

FROST

Black ice detection robot using sensor fusion, alerts pedestrians using LEDs + audio module.

#SensorFusion #Embedded #Microcontroller

HighWay Go

Solar-powered robot that waters plants on highway medians using a robotic arm.

#SolarEnergy #Embedded #Agritech

SmartWheel

Developed a dual-energy harvesting system from pressure and heat to power EV batteries autonomously.

#EnergyHarvesting #PowerSystems #Sustainability

AutoFarm

Created an agricultural robot to plough, sow, water, and accelerate indoor crop growth via artificial light.

#Agritech #Automation #IndoorFarming

Tech Stack 🛠️

💻 Programming & Tools

Languages

→ C++, Python, Julia, MATLAB

Software & Dev Tools

→ Linux, Git, CMake, VS Code Remote, gdb, memory debugging, profiling

Algorithms & Data Structures (EECS 281)

→ Graph algorithms, shortest paths (Dijkstra, A*), dynamic programming, greedy methods, priority queues, balanced trees, hash maps, recursion, STL

Version Control & Collaboration

→ GitHub, project branching, CI-style builds, code reviews, reproducible builds

🤖 Robotics & Embedded Systems

Frameworks & Platforms

→ ROS 2, RViz, Gazebo/Isaac Sim, colcon build, rosbag, transforms (tf2)

Hardware & Interfaces

→ Arduino, STM32, I²C, PWM, encoders, IMUs, sensor fusion integration

Planning & Integration (ROB 320)

→ Motion planning pipelines, collision checking, sampling-based planners (RRT), occupancy grids, action models, ROS middleware, node graph design

Robot Development

→ Embedded control, actuator tuning, hardware bring-up, real-time debugging

⚙️ Control, Perception & Algorithms

Control & Dynamics (ROB 415)

→ State-space modeling, linearization, controllability/observability, PID tuning, LQR, feedback linearization, transfer functions, stability analysis

Localization & Mapping (ROB 330)

→ Particle filters, Bayes filters, sensor models, inverse sensor models, coordinate transforms, odometry, Kalman filtering, mapping, probabilistic robotics

Planning & Robotics Algorithms

→ Graph search (A*, D*), RRT, occupancy mapping, path smoothing, trajectory generation, cost functions, multi-step prediction

📘 Math, Modeling & Design

Analytical & Computational Methods

→ Linear algebra, ODEs/PDEs, optimization, numerical solvers, eigenanalysis, Jacobians, least-squares estimation

Mechanical & CAD Design

→ SolidWorks, linkages & joint modeling, robot chassis design, motion visualization, kinematics modeling

System Integration

→ Hardware–software synchronization, performance tuning, testing workflows, reproducible experiments, robotics pipelines

🏆 Awards & Achievements

World Robotics Olympiad (India Rank 3)

Developed a piezoelectric energy harvesting system to convert automobile pressure into electricity for powering electric vehicles.

International Youth Robotics Olympiad

🏅 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze

Developed an autonomous vehicle for watering plants with robotic arm & soil detection.
Designed a smart mini-farm with automated irrigation, planting, and sensing.
Created a greenhouse accelerating growth by 2.2× using controlled climate.

American Math Competitions (AMC)

2× USAMO Qualifier, 3× AIME Qualifier

Qualified for the USAMO (top 300 of 300,000 globally). AIME distinction holder across 3 years.

Other Olympiads

F=MA: Qualified for USA Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), strong performance in mechanics.
ZIO: Cleared Indian Computing Olympiad (ZIO), showcasing algorithmic and math reasoning.