Papers
37
Total Citations
348
H-Index
10
About
Daniel M. Lofaro is a robotics researcher whose work spans real-time control systems, humanoid robotics, human-robot interaction, and multi-agent path planning. His research addresses some of the most pressing challenges in deploying robots in safety-critical and human-centered environments, from disaster response to social companionship. Lofaro's most influential contribution is the Ach Library (2015, 35 citations), a framework enabling reliable real-time communication in multiprocess robotic software — a foundational advance for robots operating in life-critical scenarios. His work on high-degree-of-freedom humanoid manipulation, including user-guided frameworks for limited-communication environments and collision-free throwing trajectories, has shaped how researchers approach complex robot motion planning. His cloud robotics research further demonstrated the feasibility of real-time humanoid control over geographically distributed servers, expanding what remote operation can achieve. Beyond mechanical systems, Lofaro has made notable contributions to social robotics, exploring how embodied robots trigger gaze-following responses and how artificial agents can be designed as genuine social companions — bridging cognitive science and engineering. His 2020 work on swarm-based time-synchronized A* path planning extends his impact into multi-agent aerial systems. Collectively, his publications reflect a career dedicated to making robots safer, smarter, and more meaningfully integrated into human life.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1The Ach Library: A New Framework for Real-Time Communication35 citations · 2015
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- 4Embodied social robots trigger gaze following in real-time HRI22 citations · 2018
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- 9Designing Artificial Agents as Social Companions16 citations · 2017
- 10Multi-process control software for HUBO2 Plus robot11 citations · 2013