Mark H. Overmars

About

Mark H. Overmars is a pioneering figure in computational geometry and robot motion planning, whose work has fundamentally shaped how robots navigate complex environments. His research focuses on developing efficient algorithms for path planning, particularly for multiple robots and nonholonomic systems. Overmars introduced the revolutionary probabilistic roadmap (PRM) approach, which splits motion planning into a learning phase and a query phase, enabling rapid pathfinding in high-dimensional configuration spaces. His seminal 1995 paper on probabilistic learning for motion planning has garnered 171 citations, while his work on coordinated path planning for multiple robots (276 citations) remains a cornerstone of multi-agent robotics. Overmars also advanced path quality, creating methods that produce short, clearance-rich paths for real-time applications. His notable achievements include the Corridor Map Method for high-quality, real-time path planning and innovative techniques for camera movements in virtual environments. With over 1,000 total citations across his most influential works, Overmars’ contributions continue to inspire researchers in robotics, computer graphics, and virtual reality, offering elegant solutions to some of the field’s most challenging problems.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Coordinated path planning for multiple robots

   276 citations · 1998
2. 2
   Creating High-quality Paths for Motion Planning

   213 citations · 2007
3. 3
   A probabilistic learning approach to motion planning

   171 citations · 1995
4. 4
   Multilevel Path Planning for Nonholonomic Robots Using Semiholonomic Subsystems

   140 citations · 1998
5. 5
   Motion Planning for Carlike Robots Using a Probabilistic Learning Approach

   101 citations · 1997
6. 6
   Using Workspace Information as a Guide to Non-uniform Sampling in Probabilistic Roadmap Planners

   93 citations · 2005
7. 7
   The complexity of the free space for a robot moving amidst fat obstacles

   77 citations · 1993
8. 8
   Motion planning amidst fat obstacles (extended abstract)

   45 citations · 1994
9. 9
   The Corridor Map Method: Real-Time High-Quality Path Planning

   32 citations · 2007
10. 10
    Motion Planning for Camera Movements in Virtual Environments

    25 citations · 2003

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links