Dr Mani Entezami PhD, MSc, BSc

Dr Mani Entezami

Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering
Head of Enterprise and Engagement

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0) 121 415 8511
Email
m.entezami@bham.ac.uk
View my research portal
Address
School of Engineering
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Dr Mani Entezami has a background in digital electronics and embedded systems, with extensive research experience in sensing technologies, condition monitoring and intelligent engineering systems. His research focuses on developing innovative sensing and monitoring technologies to improve the performance, reliability and resilience of engineering systems. His work combines advanced instrumentation, signal processing and intelligent data analytics to develop practical solutions for complex engineering challenges, with a particular emphasis on real-world applications and industrial adoption.

Mani is a member of the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE), where he serves as Head of Research Commercialisation. He has extensive experience working with industry partners to develop and demonstrate new technologies, translating academic research into practical engineering solutions and creating opportunities for commercialisation. He is also co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of MoniRail Ltd, a University of Birmingham spinout company commercialising innovative infrastructure monitoring technology. MoniRail uses inertial measurement systems installed on in-service trains to measure track geometry and ride quality, providing valuable insights into infrastructure condition and supporting more efficient, data-driven maintenance.

Alongside his research, Mani is actively involved in developing industrial partnerships, supporting research innovation and promoting knowledge exchange between academia and industry. His work reflects a strong commitment to ensuring that engineering research delivers practical benefits and meaningful economic and societal impact.

Qualifications

Biography

Mani graduated with a BSc in Computer Hardware Engineering in 2003 and subsequently spent seven years working in industry as a firmware engineer, specialising in embedded systems and digital electronics. His work focused on embedded system design and the development of commercial electronic products, including a Power Quality Analyser designed to monitor electrical power disturbances and support the diagnosis of power quality issues. In 2008, he joined University of Birmingham to pursue an MSc in Embedded Systems, followed by a PhD in Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering, which he completed in 2013. His doctoral research focused on developing operational condition monitoring techniques for wind turbine braking systems. His industrial experience has strongly influenced his approach to academic research, particularly his emphasis on developing engineering technologies that can be validated and deployed in real operational environments.

Following his PhD, Mani established an extensive portfolio of applied research, particularly in railway condition monitoring and intelligent infrastructure monitoring. His work draws on vibration analysis, inertial sensing, acoustic measurements, computer vision and environmental monitoring, including air quality and noise monitoring, to assess the condition and performance of complex engineering systems. A defining feature of his research is the development and validation of innovative technologies in operational environments, using measurements from live engineering systems to demonstrate their effectiveness and practical value.

Over the years, Mani has developed strong collaborations with major industry organisations, including Network Rail, Eurotunnel, Eurostar, Hitachi and the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). Through these partnerships, his research has addressed challenges in railway vehicle dynamics, infrastructure condition monitoring, bearing health assessment and passenger ride quality. He has also explored environmental sensing and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to support intelligent monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Mani has led or contributed to more than £4 million of industry-funded and competitively awarded research and innovation activity. His experience in translating academic research into commercial applications led to the co-founding of MoniRail Ltd, a University of Birmingham spinout established following participation in the ICURe programme. As co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, he has played a central role in developing innovative monitoring technologies and progressing them towards commercial deployment.

Alongside his research, Mani contributes to postgraduate education and research supervision. He teaches embedded systems within the Mechatronics and Control Engineering programme and has supervised doctoral researchers through to completion. He also develops and delivers specialist training for industry professionals, drawing on real operational data and practical engineering experience to connect academic knowledge with industrial applications.

More recently, Mani has taken on academic leadership responsibilities as Head of Enterprise and Engagement within EESE and Head of Research Commercialisation at the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE). Through these roles, he works to strengthen strategic partnerships with industry, support the commercialisation of University research and develop new opportunities for collaborative research and innovation.

Teaching

Mani leads the second-year Embedded Systems module within the Mechatronics and Control Engineering programme and contributes to teaching on the MSc Digital Design module. He also delivers specialist lectures on condition monitoring, sensing technologies and automation across the Railway MSc programmes.

Alongside his teaching, Mani supervises MSc dissertation projects, supporting students in applying engineering principles to practical challenges. His teaching draws on extensive industrial experience and applied research, incorporating real-world case studies and experimental data to connect theoretical knowledge with engineering practice.

Postgraduate supervision

Mani has successfully supervised four PhD researchers to completion at University of Birmingham, covering research in railway condition monitoring, acoustic sensing and intelligent infrastructure monitoring.

Completed PhD students:
•Dingcheng Zhang (2020) – Effectiveness Assessment for Condition Monitoring Techniques for Railway Vehicles
•Jingyuan Yang (2023) – Inspection of Corrosion on the Underside of Rails Based on an Acoustic Technique
•Katsuhito Inoue (2024) – Fault Diagnosis of Railway Assets Using Acoustic Monitoring
•Alfredo Peinado Gonzalo (2024) – Investigation of the Effects of Railway Track Quality on Passenger Comfort Using Onboard Inertial Systems

Mani welcomes enquiries from prospective doctoral researchers interested in developing innovative sensing technologies and intelligent monitoring solutions for engineering applications. He is particularly interested in supervising research in the following areas.

•Inertial navigation and measurement systems
•Embedded systems and automation
•Condition monitoring and sensing technologies
•Railway track condition and passenger ride quality monitoring

Prospective students with relevant backgrounds in electronic engineering, mechatronics, computer engineering or related disciplines are encouraged to contact Mani to discuss potential research opportunities.

Research

Mani's research focuses on the development and application of advanced sensing technologies for condition monitoring, fault diagnosis and predictive maintenance of engineering systems. His interests span both fundamental sensing techniques and their practical implementation in industrial environments.

Research interests

  • Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance
  • Non-destructive testing and evaluation
  • Current signature analysis
  • Vibration and acoustic analysis
  • Fault detection and diagnosis
  • Inertial measurement and navigation systems
  • Embedded systems and automation
  • Intelligent sensing and sensor fusion
  • Signal processing and data analytics
  • Infrastructure and asset health monitoring
  • Environmental monitoring, including air quality and noise

His research places particular emphasis on developing reliable and cost-effective monitoring solutions that can be validated under real operational conditions, with applications across transport and other industrial engineering systems.

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Singh, A, Entezami, M, Doyon-Poulin, P, Milosavljevic, S, Dewangan, KN, Dhabi, YK, Samuel, S & Yeo, G 2026, 'Predicting Ride Comfort in High-Speed Rail Using Machine Learning', High-speed Railway. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hspr.2026.05.005

Horridge, R, Stewart, E, Entezami, M & Yeo, G 2025, 'Autonomous alignment of continuous railway track geometry recordings from in-service vehicles', Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit. https://doi.org/10.1177/09544097251371271

Bellacci, G, Entezami, M, Weston, PF & Pugi, L 2025, 'Estimation of Railway Track Vertical Alignment Using Instrumented Wheelsets and Contact Force Recordings', Machines, vol. 13, no. 10, 963. https://doi.org/10.3390/machines13100963

Shih, JY, Entezami, M, Roberts, C, Weston, P & O’Callaghan, M 2024, 'Experiences Using MEMS Accelerometers on Railway Bearers at Switches and Crossings to Obtain Displacement—Awkward Situations', Infrastructures, vol. 9, no. 6, 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures9060091

Leach, FCP, Yang, J, Shankar, V, Cole, S, Parnell, K, Entezami, M & Bartington, SE 2024, 'The impact of a low traffic neighbourhood intervention on urban noise measured with low-cost sensors in Oxford, UK', Transportation Research Part D, vol. 134, 104357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2024.104357

Yang, J, Stewart, E, Ye, J, Entezami, M & Roberts, C 2023, 'An Improved VMD Method for Use with Acoustic Impact Response Signals to Detect Corrosion at the Underside of Railway Tracks', Applied Sciences, vol. 13, no. 2, 942. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020942

Zhang, D, Xie, M, Hamadache, M, Entezami, M & Stewart, E 2022, 'An Adaptive Graph Morlet Wavelet Transform for Railway Wayside Acoustic Detection', Journal of Sound and Vibration, vol. 529, 116965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsv.2022.116965

Yang, J, Stewart, E & Entezami, M 2022, 'Decomposition methods for impact‐based fault detection algorithms in railway inspection applications', IET Signal Processing, vol. 16, no. 8, pp. 935-944. https://doi.org/10.1049/sil2.12093

Shih, JY, Weston, P, Entezami, M & Roberts, C 2022, 'Dynamic characteristics of a switch and crossing on the West Coast Main Line in the UK', Railway Engineering Science, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 183-203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40534-021-00269-4

Commissioned report

Entezami, M 2025, IoT sensor implementation guide for rolling stock: Enhanced use of sensors on rolling stock (T1330). Railway Safety and Standards Board.

Conference contribution

Bellacci, G, Entezami, M, Weston, P, Baldanzini, N & Pugi, L 2025, Evaluating the Feasibility of Estimating Rail Longitudinal Level Through Double Integration of Vertical Contact Forces. in G Carbone & G Quaglia (eds), Proceedings of I4SDG Workshop 2025 - IFToMM for Sustainable Development Goals: Volume 2. 1 edn, vol. 2, Mechanisms and Machine Science, vol. 180, Springer, pp. 607-614, 3rd International Conference of IFToMM for SDG (I4SDG2025), Villa San Giovanni, Italy, 9/06/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-91179-8_63

Abdi Goudarzi, S, Licciardello, R, Kaviani, N, Aldin Mansouri, S & Entezami, M 2025, Synchronization of On-board Track Geometry Monitoring Signals to Enable Machine Learning Predictions. in 2025 20th European Dependable Computing Conference Companion Proceedings (EDCC-C)., 11144825, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), pp. 108-112. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDCC-C66476.2025.00041

Olaby, O, Ambur, R, Entezami, M & Dixon, R 2024, Development of an Integrated Monitoring System for Railway Infrastructure Using RFID Technology as a Key Enabler. in 2024 UKACC 14th International Conference on Control (CONTROL). Proceedings of the UKACC International Conference on Control, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), pp. 227-229, 2024 UKACC 14th International Conference on Control (CONTROL), Winchester, United Kingdom, 10/04/24. https://doi.org/10.1109/CONTROL60310.2024.10532107

Gonzalo, AP, Entezami, M, Roberts, C, Weston, P, Yeo, G, Horridge, R, Stewart, E, Hayward, M & Rippin, M 2022, Observations on track evolution from onboard inertial measurements. in 2022 UKACC 13th International Conference on Control (CONTROL)., 9781456, UKACC International Conference on Control (CONTROL), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), pp. 18-23, 13th UKACC International Conference on Control, CONTROL 2022, Plymouth, United Kingdom, 20/04/22. https://doi.org/10.1109/Control55989.2022.9781456

Other

Krč, R, Ambur, R, Hadaš, Z, Olaby, O, Vukušič, I, Plasek, O, Entezami, M & Dixon, R 2022, 'Condition monitoring and trend analysis of railway turnouts based on in-situ accelerometer measurements', 5th International Conference on Railway Technology , Montpellier, France, 22/08/22 - 25/08/22.

View all publications in research portal

Languages and other information

Other Information:

  • Member, Standing Technical Committee on Rail and Track Design and Maintenance, Transportation Research Board (TRB), USA.
  • Member, Noise and Vibration Committee, International Union of Railways (UIC).
  • Scientific Committee Member, International Conference on Recent Advances in Railway Engineering (ICRARE).
  • Member, Topical Advisory Panel on Wind, Wave and Tidal Energy, MDPI.
  • Member, Railway Engineering Institution (formerly the Permanent Way Institution).

Mani contributes to the international engineering research community through scientific committee membership, conference organisation and peer review. He has chaired technical sessions at international conferences, contributing to research dissemination and knowledge exchange between academia and industry. He has also supported international research coordination and dissemination activities associated with major railway engineering conferences and the World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR).

Expertise

Mani's expertise lies in the application of sensing and condition monitoring technologies to support evidence-based decision-making in railway engineering. His work contributes to industry understanding of infrastructure condition, asset management, predictive maintenance and environmental monitoring.

Through applied research and engagement with industry bodies, he supports the development of technical knowledge and guidance that can inform future engineering practices, industry standards and research priorities.

Policy experience

Mani works closely with the International Union of Railways (UIC) and the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) on collaborative research projects that inform industry guidelines and technical recommendations. His contributions focus particularly on the use of noise and vibration measurements to assess track condition, passenger ride quality and wheel–rail interaction, supporting the development of more consistent and reliable approaches to infrastructure monitoring.

He has contributed to international research initiatives such as:

  • HarmoTrack – Harmonisation of Track Quality Description and Assessment. A UIC initiative focused on harmonising the use of dynamic measurements, particularly onboard acceleration data, to assess railway track quality. The project has produced technical reports and recommendations to support track condition assessment and maintenance decisions.
  • QuieterRail. A European collaborative research initiative developing improved methods for assessing railway noise and vibration, with particular emphasis on wheel–rail interaction and rail roughness monitoring. The consortium is developing technical guidance and measurement approaches to support more effective noise mitigation and infrastructure maintenance.

Mani has also led and co-led RSSB-funded research that contributes to industry knowledge and guidance, including:

Through these activities, Mani contributes to the development of technical evidence and industry recommendations that support the adoption of advanced monitoring technologies across the railway sector.