G. Richard Eisler

About

G. Richard Eisler is a robotics and control systems researcher whose career has centered on the dynamics, optimization, and control of flexible robotic manipulators. His most influential contribution, the textbook *Flexible Robot Dynamics and Controls* (2002, 63 citations), stands as a foundational reference in the field, synthesizing theoretical and practical approaches to managing the complex vibrational behavior inherent in lightweight robotic arms. Eisler's experimental and computational work on minimum-time trajectory planning for two-link flexible manipulators demonstrated how offline optimization routines could generate smooth, vibration-free maneuvers while respecting motor torque constraints — advancing the practical deployment of flexible robotic systems. His development of a fast O(N) algorithm for inequality/equality constrained minimum-time problems further underscored his commitment to computationally efficient solutions. Beyond manipulator research, Eisler contributed to autonomous systems work at Sandia National Laboratories, including DARPA-funded cooperative robotic sentry vehicles and swarm-based acoustic target localization algorithms. With over 140 cumulative citations spanning two decades, his research bridges rigorous mathematical optimization with hands-on experimental validation, making his work particularly valuable for engineers and students tackling real-world flexible system control challenges.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Flexible Robot Dynamics and Controls

   63 citations · 2002
2. 2
   Discrete dynamic programming for optimized path planning of flexible robots

   20 citations · 2005
3. 3
   Minimum-time trajectory control of a two-link flexible robotic manipulator

   17 citations · 2002
4. 4
   System Identification

   14 citations · 2002
5. 5
   Integration of model-based and sensor-based control for a two-link flexible robot arm

   8 citations · 2002
6. 6
   <title>Cooperative robotic sentry vehicles</title>

   6 citations · 1999
7. 7
   Cooperative Control of Vehicle Swarms for Acoustic Target Localization by Energy Flows

   5 citations · 2004
8. 8
   A Fast and Robust Algorithm for General Inequality/Equality Constrained Minimum-Time Problems

   5 citations · 1999
9. 9
   Optimal Trajectories for Flexible-Link Manipulator Slewing Using Recursive Quadratic Programming: Experimental Verification

   3 citations · 1997
10. 10
    Experimental Characterization of a Flexible Two-Link Manipulator Arm

    2 citations · 1993

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links