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About

Tae-Seok Lee is a pioneering researcher in autonomous robotics, with a primary focus on underwater and mobile robot navigation, terrain mapping, and multi-robot coordination. His most influential work, "A new hybrid terrain coverage method for underwater robotic exploration" (2013, 30 citations), introduced an innovative approach for efficient 3-D seabed mapping using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). Lee’s earlier foundational paper, "3-D terrain covering and map building algorithm for an AUV" (2009, 25 citations), developed the artificial island technique—a novel algorithm that significantly improves terrain coverage efficiency in unknown underwater environments, enabling robots to autonomously acquire and construct detailed 3-D maps. Beyond underwater systems, Lee has contributed to reactive obstacle avoidance in mobile robots and visual landmark design for high-speed multi-robot localization. His work on "Distributed Object Transportation Using Virtual Object" (2014) advances cooperative manipulation without requiring global navigation functions. Demonstrating interdisciplinary breadth, Lee also conducted a longitudinal study analyzing over 24 million user queries to understand information-seeking behaviors in science and technology. With cumulative citations exceeding 75, Lee’s research has shaped autonomous exploration strategies, particularly in challenging underwater domains, and continues to influence the development of intelligent, terrain-aware robotic systems.