Makoto Yokoyama

About

Makoto Yokoyama is a robotics researcher specializing in the modeling and control of wheeled mobile robots operating in challenging, real-world environments. His work focuses on addressing the critical issues of slipping, skidding, and mobility on irregular terrain. A key contribution is the development of novel control strategies, including back-stepping and dynamic surface control (DSC), for two-wheeled robots and all-terrain vehicles. Yokoyama has pioneered the concept of a movable auxiliary mass—a sliding weight controlled by a DC motor—to dynamically improve vehicle traction and stability. He has also advanced the design of robots with variable-pitch blades for stair-climbing, employing full-state linearization and extremum seeking for precise pitching motion control. His papers, such as those on slip control and intelligent all-terrain vehicles, each garnering 4 citations, demonstrate a consistent and focused impact on the field of mobile robotics. Through his work, Yokoyama bridges the gap between theoretical nonlinear control and practical, high-mobility robot design.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Control via Back-Stepping and DSC Approach for a Two-Wheeled Robot With Slipping and Skidding

   4 citations · 2012
2. 2
   Intelligent All-Terrain Vehicle Robot with Movable Auxiliary Mass

   4 citations · 2011
3. 3
   Slip control of a wheeled mobile robot with a movable auxiliary mass

   4 citations · 2015
4. 4
   Modeling and Control of Wheeled Mobile Robots: From Kinematics to Dynamics with Slipping and Skidding

   3 citations · 2013
5. 5
   Modeling and control of pitching motion of a wheeled mobile robot with variable-pitch blades

   3 citations · 2015
6. 6
   Pitching motion control of a wheeled mobile robot via full-state linearization and extremum seeking

   3 citations · 2017
7. 7
   320 Position tracking control of a skid-steer vehicle robot

   2 citations · 2012

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links