Papers
11
Total Citations
239
H-Index
8
About
A. J. Healey is a pioneering researcher in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and multi-robot systems, whose work has fundamentally shaped naval robotics and unmanned vehicle technology. Best known for his foundational contributions to hybrid control architectures for AUVs, his 1996 paper on mission and motion control has accumulated over 100 combined citations across multiple venues, establishing core principles still referenced in underwater autonomy research today. Healey's work spans intelligent control systems, formation control for multi-vehicle coordination, and model-based predictive control in challenging shallow-water environments. A significant thread of his research addresses practical naval applications, particularly minefield reconnaissance and clearance using fleets of low-cost robotic vehicles — work that directly informed real-world defense strategies for mine countermeasures. His 2003 paper on formation control for robotic minesweeping (48 citations) exemplifies this applied focus, proposing coordinated multi-vehicle sweep patterns supervised by a lead vehicle. Through the NPS Phoenix and AUV II testbeds at the Naval Postgraduate School, Healey experimentally validated complex control theories, bridging the gap between simulation and real-world deployment. His sustained body of work across nearly a decade represents a comprehensive roadmap for autonomous underwater systems in demanding operational environments.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Autonomous Underwater Vehicles: Hybrid Control of Mission and Motion59 citations · 1996
- 2Application of formation control for multi-vehicle robotic minesweeping48 citations · 2003
- 3Autonomous underwater vehicles: Hybrid control of mission and motion46 citations · 1996
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- 7Control and random searching with multiple robots9 citations · 2002
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- 10Control of Small Robotic Vehicles In Unexploded Ordnance Clearance5 citations · 1997