Aart-Jan de Graaf
Professor of Control Systems Engineering
Aart-Jan de Graaf PhD, is professor of Control Systems Engineering. He conducts research focused on optimization using control systems applied to the fields of sustainable electrical energy and automotive.
The transition to sustainable energy puts the electrical power supply under pressure
With the current technological and social trends, it seems that energy and mobility are becoming increasingly intertwined. Moreover, they are increasingly dependent on control systems. The question is whether and how we can ensure that the current level of our facilities is maintained.
The energy transition (sustainable energy) ensures that we become increasingly dependent on variable energy sources like sun and wind. How do we steer the production and use of electrical energy in the right direction and, at the same time, maintain a robust and stable electricity grid?
Research and education
Aart-Jan De Graaf and the staff connected to the research group supervise students who contribute to investigations carried out in collaboration with companies in the automotive or energy sectors. With that research, the research group develops knowledge, which they then actively bring into the curricula of HAN’s degree courses. In addition, Aart-Jan de Graaf focuses on the more well-known applications in the process industry and robotics.
Background
In the past, Aart-Jan de Graaf worked as a research staff member at the University of Twente and performed research in the field of computer vision and mobile robots. After he earned his PhD in 1994, he worked in the business community on control of automatic vehicles and logistics processes. Well-know applications include People Movers and container terminals. De Graaf has a special interest in how to optimise control systems so that the machine, in interaction with the user, performs even better and can eventually behave intuitively – the ultimate goal.
Expertise areas
- Robot interaction
- Smart grids
- Automatic vehicle guidance
Partners in research
Projects
- CSGRIP
- Fast & Curious