ThomasVanDoren, Ph.D. – Vice President and General Manager, Blade Center, HDT Global

VanDoren is the Vice President and General Manager of HDT’s Blade Center, the advanced R&D, robotics and specialty products division of HDT Global. He joined the company in 2000 and leads a staff of 80 research and development engineers, scientists and technicians. The Blade Center has advanced capabilities in robotics, military command and control systems, mechatronic systems, military tents and shelters, military power generators and environmental control units, chemical and biological weapons defense systems, and medical products. Dr. Van Doren leads the design and development of military, commercial and healthcare robot systems. He is a key technical expert on HDT’s Adroit® robotic manipulator arm systems, unmanned ground vehicles, advanced prosthetic limbs, acoustics, vibrations and noise control, and chemical and biological weapons defense systems.

Dr. Van Doren currently directs the HDT team delivering robotic arms under multiple US and foreign military programs and leads the team developing the WOLF unmanned vehicle. Projects led by Dr. Van Doren include engineering development of a 60-bed field hospital that is protected from chemical and biological weapons. Dr.VanDorenwasaPrincipalInvestigatorontheDARPARevolutionizingProstheticsprogram whereheled a multi-nationalteaminthedevelopmentoftheModular Prosthetic Limb thatprovided anunprecedentedlevelofdexterityandsensorization.  ThissystemwonaPopularMechanicsBreakthroughAward.  

Dr. Van Doren earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Oklahoma State University. He earned an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with specialization in nonlinear acoustics from The University of Texas at Austin, where he was awarded a fellowship from Rockwell Collins. Dr. Van Doren holds patents in acoustics, turbomachinery, robotics, and man-machine interfaces.

Education History

  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Oklahoma State University
  • M.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
  • Ph.D Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

Work Experience

Adjunct Faculty, JHU Whiting School of Engineering, Engineering for Professionals