Papers
48
Total Citations
1,161
H-Index
19
About
Dolores Blanco is a robotics researcher whose work spans two significant domains: soft robotics and wearable rehabilitation systems, and autonomous mobile robot navigation. She is perhaps best known for her pioneering contributions to Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator technology, developing flexible, high-displacement actuators that have transformed the design of soft wearable robots. Her highly cited 2014 paper on flexible SMA actuators (139 citations) laid the groundwork for a series of innovations, including a sophisticated elbow exoskeleton for rehabilitation therapy that addresses the joint's complex biomechanics — work that has collectively garnered hundreds of citations and demonstrated real clinical relevance for patients with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. Equally notable is Blanco's early and sustained contribution to robot motion planning. Her research integrating Voronoi diagrams with fast marching methods produced efficient, real-time path planning solutions for mobile robots navigating complex environments, with multiple papers in this area each attracting 40–50 citations. Her 2002 work on human-robot cooperation through intention recognition further highlights her broad vision for intelligent, human-centered robotics. With a cumulative body of work exceeding 600 citations, Blanco represents a researcher who bridges theoretical elegance with deeply practical, human-focused robotic applications.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1High-displacement flexible Shape Memory Alloy actuator for soft wearable robots139 citations · 2014
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- 5Voronoi diagram and fast marching applied to path planning51 citations · 2006
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- 7FM 2: A REAL-TIME SENSOR-BASED FEEDBACK CONTROLLER FOR MOBILE ROBOTS47 citations · 2009
- 8Active human-mobile manipulator cooperation through intention recognition45 citations · 2002
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- 10Robotic Motion Using Harmonic Functions and Finite Elements39 citations · 2009