Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) at Nazarbayev University is pleased to announce that Gourav Moger has successfully defended his PhD in Robotics Engineering. Gourav received his B.E. degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore, India, and his M.S. degree in Robotics Engineering from Bristol University, United Kingdom. He started his doctoral studies in Robotics Engineering at Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan, and worked as a research assistant at ISSAI. On 21 November 2025, Gourav defended his doctoral thesis “Improbability Roller: A Hybrid Mobile Robot with Variable Diameter Wheels”.
His research introduced two versions of a hybrid mobile robot capable of continuously adjusting wheel diameter to adapt to diverse terrains, demonstrating improved step climbing, slope traversal, confined-space negotiation, and stable locomotion on deformable surfaces.
The project’s outcomes have been recognized through two peer-reviewed publications. The first version of the robot was published in IEEE Transactions on Mechatronics.
The second version was presented at the top robotics conference IROS 2025, and the preprint can be accessed via the link.
Demonstration videos of both robot versions in structured indoor and unstructured outdoor environments are available on YouTube:
The examination committee included Prof. Atakan Varol (PhD Supervisor), Prof. Matteo Rubagotti (Co-supervisor), Prof. Erdem Erdemir (External Supervisor), Dr. Zhanat Kappassov (Internal Examiner), Prof. Juan Corrales Ramón (External Examiner), and Prof. Ton Duc Do (PhD Examination Committee). The Institute extends its heartfelt gratitude to the distinguished professors, esteemed colleagues, and all members of the audience whose presence elevated the defense to a truly meaningful and memorable occasion.
ISSAI remains committed to advancing robotics, artificial intelligence, and scientific innovation, continuously supporting outstanding research and the next generation of scholars.