Mike Park

University of Pennsylvania, California University of Pennsylvania

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Mike Park is a pioneering researcher in modular robotics, focusing on self-assembly, self-reconfiguration, and robust locomotion. His work addresses fundamental challenges in enabling autonomous modules to coordinate and adapt without centralized control. Park’s most influential contribution is his 2007 paper, “Using Smart Cameras to Localize Self-Assembling Modular Robots,” which has garnered 16 citations. In this work, he introduced a novel approach where each module is equipped with a smart camera to determine its position and orientation relative to others—a critical step toward achieving true self-assembly. This innovation laid groundwork for decentralized perception in distributed robotic systems. Park also demonstrated the practical resilience of his designs in “Robustness and self-repair in modular robots,” a video paper showing a 15-module bipedal robot that, after being violently kicked apart into three clusters, autonomously reassembles and continues walking. This striking demonstration of self-repair under real-world disturbances highlights Park’s commitment to building fault-tolerant, lifelike robotic systems. His work continues to inspire researchers in modular robotics, swarm intelligence, and autonomous systems.