Specialization

Soft Robotics, Wearable Sensing, Rehabilitation Robotics, Applied AI, Human–Robot Interaction

Email

subhash.pratap@thapar.edu

Biography

Dr. Subhash Pratap is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET), Patiala. He completed his Ph.D. under the International Joint Degree Programme in Integrated Mechanical Engineering, a collaborative initiative between IIT Guwahati, India, and Gifu University, Japan. He also holds a Dual Degree (M.Tech. + Ph.D.) from IIT Guwahati and a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from BCE Bhagalpur. Prior to joining TIET, he served as a JST-India Young Invited Researcher in Japan supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, and as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Technology Innovation Hub, IIT Guwahati (TIH-IITG TIDF) under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS). His research lies at the intersection of biomechanics, soft robotics, wearable sensing, brain-computer interface and applied AI, with a primary focus on robotic grasping and manipulation. Dr. Pratap has published extensively in reputed Q1 journals and conferences, including IEEE Sensors Journal, Sensors, and Wearable Technologies, and has received several recognitions, including the  Outstanding Academic Achievement Award from Gifu University, Best Paper Award at AIR 2023, DST ANRF International Travel Support Grant, and the JASSO Fellowship from the Government of Japan. He actively contributes to the academic community as a reviewer for leading journals including IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, and IEEE Transactions on Haptics and Journal of Bionic Engineering. He is also a Governing Council Member of The Robotic Society (India). His broader research interests include multimodal sensing, EEG/EMG-based intent decoding, human–robot interaction, and AI-driven assistive robotic systems for healthcare , agricultural and industrial applications.

Academic Profile

• Ph.D. (Joint Degree) in Integrated Mechanical Engineering |

Gifu University, Japan and IIT Guwahati, India | (Apr 2020- March 2026) | Thesis: From Sensing to Assistance: Design and Development of Multi-Sensory Data Glove and Tendon-Driven Soft Hand Exoskeleton |  GPA: 4.00 / 4.00

• Exchange Student – Global Issues and Education Policies | University of Tsukuba, Japan | Year: 2025 | GPA: 10 / 10 (A+)

 

• M.Tech. + Ph.D. (Dual Degree) in Mechanical Engineering (Machine Design) |
  Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India | Duration: Jul 2018 – Feb 2026
  CGPA: 8.05 / 10

 

• B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering | Bhagalpur College of Engineering, India
  Duration: 2011 – 2015 | CGPA: 8.46 / 10

Work Experience

 

• Assistant Professor (Level- 10), Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, Punjab, India
  • April 2026 – Present
• JST-India Young Invited Researcher, Japan Science and Technology Agency
  • May 2025 – December 2026
• Entrepreneur in Residence, Technology Innovation Hub, IIT Guwahati (TIH-IITG TIDF)
  • May 2024 – April 2025

 

Research Interests

• Development of soft robotic hands, tendon-driven exoskeletons, and wearable assistive systems for upper-limb rehabilitation and motor recovery.
• Design of multisensory wearable devices integrating force, motion, tactile, EEG, and EMG sensing for human motion analysis and intent decoding.
• Robotic grasping and manipulation using multimodal sensing, grasp synergy analysis, and visual-tactile intelligence.
• Application of machine learning, deep learning, imitation learning, reinforcement learning, and AI-driven control for intelligent human–robot interaction.
• Development of adaptive robotic systems for applications in neurorehabilitation, healthcare, industrial automation, and smart agriculture.

Technical Skills

• Programming: Python, MATLAB
• Design and Modelling: SolidWorks, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Mechanism Design, Structural Analysis
• Data Analysis and Visualization: Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, Seaborn
• Control Systems and Robotics: Simulink, Arduino
• Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence: Scikit-learn, Keras
• Hardware and Sensors: Mechatronics, Sensor Interfacing and Integration, Microcontroller Programming

 

Research Publications

Journal Articles (5)

• Pratap, S*., Hatta, Y., Ito, K., & Hazarika, S. M. (2024). Understanding Grasp Synergies during Reach-to-Grasp using an Instrumented Data Glove, doi : 10.1109/JSEN.2024.3523512. IEEE Sensors Journal, Q1, I.F. 4.5
• Pratap, S*., Narayan, J., Hatta, Y., Ito, K., & Hazarika, S. M. (2024). Glove-Net : Enhancing Grasp Classification with Multisensory Data and Deep Learning Approach. Sensors, 24(13), 4378. Sensors, Q1, I.F. 3.5
• S. Pratap*, K. Ito, and S. M. Hazarika, “Synergistic grasp analysis : A cross-sectional exploration using a multi-sensory data glove,” vol. 6, p. e2, 2025. doi:10.1017/wtc.2024.25. Wearable Technologies, Q1, I.F. 2.8
• Pratap, S*., Ito, K., & Hazarika, S. M. (2024). Design and Characterization of TendEx : A Structurally Optimized Tendon-Driven Soft Hand Exoskeleton. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, Q1, I.F. 4.5 (Under Review)
• Narayan, J*., Abbas, M., Pratap, S., Bharti, R. R., & Dwivedy, S. K. (2024). Integrating Robust Gait Tracking Control and Variable Admittance Model for Pediatric Exoskeleton : An ‘Assist-as-Needed’ Framework. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 57, 113-118.

 

Conferences (6)

• Pratap, S*., Narayan, J., Hatta, Y., Hazarika, S. M., & Ito, K. (2024). Robust non-singular terminal sliding mode control for tendon-driven hand exoskeleton: A numerical study. In 10th International Conference on Control, Decision and Information Technologies (CoDIT 2024), Valletta, Malta.
• Pratap, S*., Narayan, J., Hatta, Y., Hazarika, S. M., & Ito, K. (2024). Design and control of tendon-driven soft hand exoskeleton: A preliminary study. In 10th IEEJ International Workshop on Sensing, Actuation, Motion Control, and Optimization (SAMCON 2024), Kyoto Research Park, Japan.
•  Pratap, S*., Narayan, J., Hatta, Y., Ito, K., & Hazarika, S. M. (2024). From tactile signals to grasp classification: Exploring patterns with machine learning. In IEEE International Conference on Interdisciplinary Approaches in Technology and Management for Social Innovation (IATMSI 2024), IIIT Gwalior, India.
• Pratap, S*., Ito, K., & Hazarika, S. M. (2023). Grasp synergies in activities of daily living: A cross-sectional study using a multisensory data glove. In 6th International Conference on Advances in Robotics (AIR 2023), IIT Ropar, India.
• Johri, S., Pratap, S., Narayan, J*., & Dwivedy, S. (2024). Sensory data classification for gait assessment using deep neural networks: A comparative study with SGD and Adam optimizer. In IEEE International Conference on Interdisciplinary Approaches in Technology and Management for Social Innovation (IATMSI 2024), IIIT Gwalior, India.
• Hirogaki, K., Pratap, S., Hatta, Y., Hazarika, S. M., & Ito, K.* (2024). The development of a new exoskeleton glove system for rehabilitation assistance of spinal cord injury patients. In 10th IEEJ International Workshop on Sensing, Actuation, Motion Control, and Optimization (SAMCON 2024), Kyoto Research Park, Japan. (Poster Presentation & Proceedings).

 

Book Chapters (3)

• Pratap, S*., Saikia, S., Ito, K., & Hazarika, S. M. Restoring Human Grasp Functionality through Soft Hand Exoskeletons. In Intelligent Cyber-Physical Systems for Healthcare Solutions: From Theory to Practice, Springer.
• Pratap, S*., Gupta, A., Narayan, J., Ito, K., & Hazarika, S. M. Data-Driven Grasp Posture Recognition with Data Gloves and Machine Learning Models. In Design and Control of Rehabilitation Robots: From Concept to Therapy, Springer.
• Pandey, M., Pratap, S., Narayan, J*., & Gopaliya, S. M. (2025). Kinematic Features in Reach and Grasp Cycle for Healthy and CP-Affected Pediatric Populations: An Exploratory Data Analysis. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI 2025).

 

Course of Interest

• Biomechanics and Human Motion Analysis
• Mechatronics and Intelligent Automation
• Robotics and Autonomous Systems
• Sensors, Instrumentation, and Embedded Systems

• Soft Robotics and Rehabilitation Engineering

 

Reviewer Activities

• Reviewer for IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics (TMECH), IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L), and IEEE Transactions on Haptics (ToH)
• Reviewer for Measurement and Control (SAGE), PLOS One, and the Journal of Bionic Engineering
• Reviewer for MDPI journals including Sensors, Robotics, and Biomimetics
• Conference Reviewer for International Conference on Advances in Robotics (AIR 2023 & AIR 2025), ICDSA 2024, and IEEE BioRob 2026

 

Awards and Honours

• Dean’s Award for Best Ph.D. Thesis Work, Gifu University, Japan (2026)
• SERB International Travel Support Grant, Government of India, for presenting at the CoDIT 2024 International Conference, Malta
• Best 3-Minute Thesis Presentation Award, Research and Industrial Conclave, IIT Guwahati (2024)
• Best Paper Presentation Award, 6th International Conference on Advances in Robotics (AIR 2023), IIT Ropar, India
• JASSO Fellowship, Student Exchange Support Program, Gifu University, Japan (2023)
• Government of India (MHRD) Fellowship during Ph.D. at IIT Guwahati (2018–2023)
• Qualified Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) three times (2016, 2018, and 2019)

 

Administrative Activities

• Executive Member (Governing Council), The Robotic Society (India) (2023–2026)
• Chief Student Coordinator, India International Science Festival (IISF 2024), IIT Guwahati
• Co-Chair, Global Innovative Leaders Program (GILP) Symposium 2023, Gifu University, Japan
• Overall Student Coordinator, North East Research Conclave (NERC 2022), IIT Guwahati
• General Secretary, Research and Industrial Conclave 2022, IIT Guwahati
• General Secretary, Students’ Academic Board, IIT Guwahati (2021–2022)

 

Personal Webpage

 

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/subhashpratap/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhashpratap/

 

 

Research Profile

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=X4JI70QAAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Subhash-Pratap-2