Eng.(Mrs.) T.M.D.N. Tennekoon

Senior Lecturer (G I)


Mechanical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering Technology
Contact:

Main Campus, Ground floor, Science and Technology building, Mechanical Research Lab

Office: 112881135, Ext: 635

E-mail: tmmed@ou.ac.lk nimalim@yahoo.com

TMDN Tennekoon graduated in Mechanical Engineering (B.Sc.Eng(Hons)) from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and completed her postgraduate studies(MPhil) in specialization of Materials and Manufacturing Engineering in Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom. She is currently working as a Senior Lecturer and a Principal Investigator in the Soft Robotics Research Group of The Open University of Sri Lanka. She is also a Charted Engineer and a member of Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), member of Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers(IEEE) and life member of  Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS). Her current research is focused on Soft Robotics and Materials Engineering.

Areas of Specialization:

Materials and Manufacturing Engineering

Research interests:

Finite Element Analysis, Soft Robotics, Multi Axial Fatigue

Course Coordination:

Engineering Mechanics, Machine Dynamics, Strength of Materials I, Engineering Research Project (Mechanical/Mechatronics)

Awards:

 

  • 1st Runner Up, Soft Robotics Toolkit Design Competition 2016 by soft robotics toolkit team & Harvard University,   2016.
  • OUSL Research Award 2019
  • OUSL Research Award 2020

Research Grants

  • Principal Investigator of the research titled “Design & Development of a Hand Gesture Controlled Soft Robot Manipulator”” a 0.3 million LKR granted by the Engineering Research Unit, Faculty of Engineering Technology, The Open University of Sri Lanka (2015).
  • Principal Investigator of the research titled “Flexible Robot Development using Rapid Prototyping and Soft Lithography” a 1.3 million LKR granted by the University Grant Commission of Sri Lanka to The Open University of Sri Lanka to strengthen the research in Sri Lanka (2017).
  • Principal Investigator of the research titled “Modelling Experimental Characterization Improving of Chameleon Inspired robot Locomotion Platform” a 1 million LKR granted by the University Grant Commission of Sri Lanka to The Open University of Sri Lanka to strengthen the research in Sri Lanka (2019 – 2020)
Ongoing Research:

Refer Soft Robotics Research Group Web site

http://www.ou.ac.lk/SRRG/blog.html

https://www.facebook.com/Soft-Robotics-Research-Group-of-The-Open-University-of-Sri-Lanka-162736024413728/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Research Supervisions:

Refer Soft Robotics Research Group Web site

http://www.ou.ac.lk/SRRG/blog.html

https://www.facebook.com/Soft-Robotics-Research-Group-of-The-Open-University-of-Sri-Lanka-162736024413728/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Publications:
  • Nimali T. Medagedara, “Are we prepared? An insight into our planetary defense system” The Official E-Newsletter of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka  Issue 49 – December 2020. https://iesl.lk/SLEN/49/Are%20We%20Prepared.php
  • Nimali T. Medagedara, “Wearable electronics; the future today powered by energy harvesting” The Official E-Newsletter of the Institution of Engineers Sri LankaI ssue 49 – December 2020. https://iesl.lk/SLEN/49/Wearable%20Electronics.php
  • Clarence W. de Silva, “Mechatronics – A marriage of mechanics and electronics” Contributed by Nimali T. Medagedara, The Official E-Newsletter of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka  Issue 48 – September / October 2020.   https://iesl.lk/SLEN/48/Mechatronics.php
  • ASME -Dynamic Systems & Control Division (DSCD) News Letter Winter 2020 pg 4-7. https://community.asme.org/dynamic_systems_control/b/weblog/archive/2021/01/05/dscd-winter-2020-newsletter.aspx
  • Clarence W. de Silva, “ROBOTICS – ORIGIN, MYTHS, CURRENT TRENDS, AND OPPORTUNITIES” Contributed by Nimali T. Medagedara, The Official E-Newsletter of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka  Issue 51 – February 2021.  https://iesl.lk/SLEN/51/Robotics.php
  • ASME -Dynamic Systems & Control Division (DSCD) News Letter Summer 2021 pg 3-8.
  • NL Manage, Nimali T Medagedara “Design and Development of a Vision-based Hydraulic Operated Mending Machine for Repairing 3W Forks” Journal of Instrumentation, Volume 07, Issue 4, 2020.
  • M. Ahamed, P. D. S. H. Gunawardane, and Nimali T. Medagedara,“Early Identification and Visualization of Parkinsonian Gaits and their Stages using Convolution Neural Networks and Finite Element Techniques” Journal of Instrumentation, Volume 07, Issue 3, 2020. http://www.instrumentationjournal.com/inst/
  • M.Ahamed, P. D. S. H. Gunawardane, and Nimali T. Medagedara, “Spatiotemporal Ground Reaction Force Analysis using Convolutional Neural Networks to Analyze Parkinsonian Gait,” 4th SLAAI – International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, 16th Annual Sessions, vol. 4, pp. 39–45, 01st Dec. 2020.
  • M.Ahamed, P. D. S. H. Gunawardane, and Nimali T. Medagedara, “Spatiotemporal Ground Reaction Force Analysis using Convolutional Neural Networks to Analyze Parkinsonian Gait,” 4th SLAAI – International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, 16th Annual Sessions, vol. 4, pp. 06–06, Dec. 2020.
  • PDSH Gunawardane. NL Manage, Nimali T Medagedara “An assistance of computer vision for hydraulic mending of three wheeler fork” SLAAS Proceedings of the 76th Annual Sessions 15 December 2020.
  • P.D.S.H. Gunawardane, A.P.T.D. Pathirana, Nimali T. Medagedara “Additive Gaussian Noise Model and Kalman Filter for Improving Controllability of Gesture Controlled Tele-Operated Soft Actuators, SAGE Publishing and Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, SAGE Journal,2020, pg 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954405420941007
  • P.D.S.H. Gunawardane,  Nimali T. Medagedara “Design of a Tele-operable Soft Actuator”  Engineer, Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, Volume 53, Issue 1-2020, pg 53-61,E-ISSN 2550-3219.
  • A.P.T.D. Pathirana, P.D.S.H. Gunawardane,  Nimali T. Medagedara “Bionic leg for patient’s leg amputation with inactive muscles of the thigh” SLAAS Proceedings of the 75th   Annual Sessions 08 December – 13 December 2019
  • Nimali T. Medagedara “Performance improvement of biomass fired thermic fluid heaters used in Sri Lanka” Journal of Engineering and technology Volume 07  No 2, September 2019, pg 31-43, ISSN 2279-2627
  • Nimali T. Medagedara “Study of variable amplitude in cyclic loading” Journal of Engineering and technology Volume 07  No 2, September 2019, pg 1-8, ISSN 2279-2627.
  • P.D.S.H. Gunawardane, Nimali T. Medagedara “A 3D Spectroscopic Vision based Control Technique for Bilateral Systems” Journal of Instrumentation, Volume 06, 1, 2019 January, pg.12-24
  • P.D.S.H. Gunawardane, R.E. A Pallewela, A.P.T.D. Pathirana, Nimali T. Medagedara “Kalman Filter Based Approach to Overcome Elastic Saturation and Pneumatic Disturbances in Tele-Operated Soft Actuators” (ICMR Conference), September 10-12, 2019, Queens University of Belfast, UK,
  • P.D.S.H. Gunawardane, R.E. A Pallewela,  Nimali T. Medagedara “Tele Operable Controlling System for Hand Gesture Controlled Soft Robot Actuator” IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft 2019), April 14-18, 2019, COEX, Seoul, Korea.
  • P. D.S.H. Gunawardane,  W.Karunarathne , Nimali T. Medagedara  “Rapid Prototyping and Soft Lithography for Mimicking Chameleon Feet” Journal of the plastic & Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka Volume 17, 2018, pg.115-121.
  • Nimali T. Medagedara, P.D.S.H. Gunawardane  “Finite Element Analysis for Non-Proportional loading”  International Journal of Mathematical and Computational Methods, 3, 20-27ISSN: 2367-895X http://www.iaras.org/iaras/journals/ijmcm
  • A.G.P. Lankathilaka, P.D.S.H. Gunawardane, Nimali T. Medagedara “a novel methodology for usability assessment of engineering design” Journal of Engineering and technology Volume 05  No 2, September 2017, pg 44-57, ISSN 2279-2627
  • P.D.S.H. Gunawardane, Nimali T. Medagedara “Development of a Data Glove with vision recognition” (to be published in International Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics IJRM Journal, 2018)
  • WADM Weragoda, Nimali T. Medagedara “Effect of Electromagnetic Force on the Design of Linear Actuator” 15th Open University Research Sessions- OURS 2017, 16th & 17th November.
  • N.Bandara, Nimali T. Medagedara, P.D.S.H. Gunawardane “Design of a self-balancing rotatable mobile hoist” Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement Science, 73nd Annual Session  to be published in December 2017.
  • A.G.P. Lankathilaka, Nimali T. Medagedara, P.D.S.H. Gunawardane “Finite element analysis of an excavator bucket to satisfy the industrial requirement” Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement Science, 73nd Annual Session  in December 2017.
  • P.D.S.H. Gunawardane, Nimali T. Medagedara “Comparison of Hand Gesture Inputs of Leap Motion Controller & Data Glove in to a Soft Finger” Published in 2017 IEEE International Symposium on Robotics and Intelligent Sensors (IRIS2017).
  • P.D.S.H. Gunawardane, Nimali T. Medagedara, B.G.D.A. Madusanka, “Control of Robot Arm Based on Hand Gesture using Leap Motion Sensor Technology” published in International Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics IJRM Journal volume 3, No.1, 2016, ISSN: 2288-5889.
  • P. D. S. H. Gunawardane, Nimali T. Medagedara, B.G.D.A. Madhusanka “The Development of a Gesture Controlled Soft Robot Gripping Mechanism” 2016 IEEE  International Conference on Information and Automation for Sustainability (ICIAfS 2016), 16th – 19th December 2016, Galle, Sri Lanka.
  • N.C Tantrigoda (1), K.M Jayamal (2), Nimali. T. Medagedara (3) and D.H.R.J Wimalasiri (4)

         “Fault Diagnosing of Lakvijaya Power Plant:A case study of an anti-rotational pin failure” Journal of                      Engineering and technology   Volume 04  No 1, March 2016, ISSN 2279-2627.

  • P. D. S. H. Gunawardane, Nimali T. Medagedara, B.G.D.A. Madhusanka, (2016), A Study of a Fingertip Imitating Robot Manipulator, SLAAS Proceedings of the 72nd  Annual Sessions 7 December – 9 December 2016.
  • P.D.S. Hiroshan Gunawardane, Nimali T. Medagedara, B.G.D. Achintha Madhusanka (2015) Transparent Bilateral Control Simulation for Fingertip Imitation Robot Manipulator Using Leap Motion Controller. 2015 IEEE 10th International Conference on Industrial and Information Systems (ICIIS), Dec 17, 2015 – Dec 20, 2015 Sri Lanka.
  • P.D.S. Hiroshan Gunawardane, Nimali T. Medagedara, B.G.D. Achintha Madhusanka (2015) “Studying the Competitiveness of Master Designs in Bilateral Systems for an Epidemic Environment” 2015 8th International Conference on Ubi-Media Computing (UMEDIA 2015), August 24-26, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

          978-1-4673-8270-0/15/$31.00 ©2015 IEEE

  • B D N Mendis,  Nimali T Medagedara, D C Wijewardene (2015),   An improved design of a String Hopper Machine to suit the local requirements, SLAAS Proceedings of the 71st Annual Sessions 30 November – 4 December 2015.
  • B D N Mendis,  Nimali T Medagedara, D C Wijewardene (2014),   Design of Automated Low Cost String Hopper Machine for Medium Scale Industry, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, volume 4, Issue 11.
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara, P.D. Sarath Chandra (2012), Study on FEM and theoretically predicted Hysteresis loops, Asian Transactions in Engineering volume 1, Issue 6.
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara, The validation of theoritical analysis for axial and torsion loading, OUSL Journal 2011.
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara,  Comparison of  Finite Element Analysis with theoretical values. ICADME 2011, International Conference, University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Perlis, Malaysia.
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara, P.D. Sarath Chandra (2011), Comparing the theoretical and Finite Element stress-strain analysis   for axial and torsion loading, Asian Transactions in Engineering volume 1, Issue 4.
  • D. M .C Kumarage, Nimali T.  Medagedara, S.D.Rasika  Perera (2009), Automobile body design and pedestrian safety – an FEM analysis, Annual Academic sessions (2009), The open University of Sri lanka.
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara, M.C.J. Medagedara, Design of low cost containers for Rubber Industry – Finite Element Analysis (FEA), ICADME 2009, International Conference, University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Perlis, Malaysia.
  • Upul S Fernando, Nimali T.  Medagedara, David Eaton, Elastic-Plastic Stress/Strain Behaviour of Notched shaft under non-proportional tension torsion loading (comparison of experimental and finite element results),7th International Conference on Biaxial and Multiaxial Fatigue and Fracture (ICBMEF 7) (2005), Germany.
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara, P.D. Sarath Chandra, M.C.J. Medagedara, Elastic-Plastic Stress/Strain Behaviour of Notched shaft under axial and torsional cyclic loading and proportional loading (comparison of experimental and finite element results),International Symposium of research Students on Material Science and Engineering (ISRS – 2004),Madras, India.
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara, Prof. N.R.Arthanayake, M.C.J. Medagedara, Comparison of elastic-plastic stress/strain behaviour of a notched shaft, The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) Annual sessions (2004).
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara, David Eaton, (2004), The comparison between the Finite Element Analysis of a notch component with Neuber analysis for axial loading, 50th annual international conference in Institute of Environmental Science  and Technology (ESTECH 2004),Lasvegas, USA.
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara, Prof. N.R.Arthanayake (2003), Finite Element Analysis of a notch component under non-proportional loading, Annual Academic sessions (2003), The open University of Sri lanka.
  • Nimali T.  Medagedara, P.D. Sarath Chandra, S.D.R.  Perera (2003), Comparing the Finite Element Analysis of a notch component with Neuber analysis for cyclic torsion loading, Annual Academic sessions (2003), The open University of Sri lanka.

 

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