Thorstein R. Rykkje

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Papers

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About

Thorstein R. Rykkje is pioneering a transformative approach to engineering dynamics education through his development of the Moving Frame Method (MFM). His key research areas span gyroscopic control of robotic smart vehicles, snake robot dynamics, and friction modeling in robotic systems—all unified by a foundation in Lie group theory and Cartan’s moving frames. Rykkje’s major contribution is the MFM, a pedagogical reform that replaces traditional dynamics instruction with a modern, mathematically rigorous framework using SO(3) and SE(3) Lie groups. This method has proven to excite students and reduce attrition, as demonstrated in his 2019 paper on friction modeling. His 2023 companion papers on gyroscopic control of smart vehicles and his 2024 work on snake robot kinematics each have garnered 2 citations, reflecting growing interest in his innovative approach. Rykkje’s work not only advances robotics control theory but also addresses a critical challenge in engineering education, making complex dynamics accessible and engaging for the next generation of engineers.