Robert P. Hammer

IBM Research - Thomas J. Watson Research Center

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Robert P. Hammer is a leading researcher in precision robotics and automated assembly, with a focus on coarse-fine manipulation strategies that dramatically enhance industrial robot performance. His key research areas include high-precision positioning systems, robot bracing techniques, and the integration of fine-motion devices with standard industrial manipulators. Hammer’s major contributions center on developing novel control architectures that leverage redundant degrees of freedom in coarse-fine systems to enable reliable assembly tasks—particularly through real and virtual bracing strategies that improve both accuracy and compliance. His work on an air-bearing supported three degree-of-freedom fine positioner, achieving 12-g acceleration and 0.2 μm resolution, demonstrates how coupling such devices with external sensing can yield precision improvements of up to two orders of magnitude over conventional robots. Though his most-cited papers have accumulated modest citation counts (13 and 9 citations respectively), their impact is significant in specialized fields like micro-assembly and precision manufacturing. Hammer’s research provides foundational insights for engineers developing next-generation robotic systems that require both speed and sub-micron accuracy, making his work essential reading for students and researchers in advanced automation.