Nick Pears

About

Nick Pears is a leading researcher in mobile robotics and computer vision, whose work has fundamentally advanced how robots perceive and navigate their environments. His primary research areas include visual navigation, ground plane segmentation, and active range sensing. Pears is best known for pioneering methods that allow mobile robots to understand their surroundings using monocular cameras, particularly through his influential work on planar homographies. His 2002 paper on ground plane segmentation for visual navigation (61 citations) and his 2003 work on visual navigation using planar homographies (60 citations) remain foundational references in the field, introducing techniques that enable robots to detect drivable surfaces and track features without requiring calibrated cameras. Pears also made significant contributions to sensor design, developing active triangulation rangefinders and laser scanning sensors for obstacle avoidance and docking. His recent work extends into benchmarking robot arm motion planning in cluttered environments, demonstrating his continued relevance in modern robotics. With over 200 total citations across his most-cited papers, Pears’ research has provided essential tools for autonomous navigation, influencing both academic research and practical robotic applications.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Ground plane segmentation for mobile robot visual navigation

   61 citations · 2002
2. 2
   Visual navigation using planar homographies

   60 citations · 2003
3. 3
   Mobile robot tracking of pre-planned paths

   17 citations · 2001
4. 4
   Active Triangulation Rangefinder Design For Mobile Robots

   16 citations · 2005
5. 5
   Mobile Robot Visual Navigation Using Multiple Features

   14 citations · 2005
6. 6
   An optical range sensor for mobile robot guidance

   12 citations · 2002
7. 7
   Benchmarking of Robot Arm Motion Planning in Cluttered Environments

   9 citations · 2023
8. 8
   Monocular obstacle detection using reciprocal-polar rectification

   8 citations · 2006
9. 9
   An intelligent active range sensor for vehicle guidance: system overview

   7 citations · 2002
10. 10
    Ground plane segmentation from multiple visual cues

    6 citations · 2002

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links