David McKinnon
Papers
8
Total Citations
134
H-Index
6
About
David McKinnon is a versatile researcher whose work spans two remarkably distinct yet equally impactful domains: robotic vision systems and astronomy education. In computer vision, McKinnon has made significant contributions to autonomous robotics, particularly in stereo vision-based pose estimation and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). His 2010 paper on unaided stereo vision pose estimation (42 citations) introduced a low-cost sensor platform for accurate robot positioning, while his 2013 work on online stereo rig calibration (41 citations) addressed a critical challenge in long-term autonomous navigation by developing adaptive calibration methods robust to mechanical drift. Parallel to his robotics research, McKinnon has devoted considerable energy to democratizing astronomy education. Beginning with the Charles Sturt University Remote Telescope Project in 2000, he pioneered internet-accessible telescope systems for primary school students, a vision that evolved into the internationally recognized Our Solar Siblings initiative — a nonprofit robotic telescope education program for high school students. More recently, his development and validation of astronomy self-efficacy instruments (2022–2023), validated across over 15,000 students at 22 institutions, demonstrates his commitment to rigorous educational measurement. McKinnon's career exemplifies how technical innovation and educational outreach can be pursued with equal depth and dedication.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Unaided stereo vision based pose estimation42 citations · 2010
- 2Online calibration of stereo rigs for long-term autonomy41 citations · 2013
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- 6Graphcut-based interactive segmentation using colour and depth cues10 citations · 2010
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- 8Internet Astronomy in schools using remotely controlled telescopes2 citations · 2002