Ho-Kong Ng

About

Ho-Kong Ng is a leading figure in field robotics and autonomous systems, whose work has profoundly shaped how robots perceive and navigate challenging environments. His research centers on computer vision, 3D mapping, and shared autonomy, with a particular emphasis on applications in planetary exploration and hazardous material response. Ng’s most influential contribution is his pioneering work on vision-based modeling and localization for planetary rovers, a paper with 72 citations that laid the groundwork for autonomous kilometer-scale traversals and the creation of photo-realistic 3D models of alien terrain. He further extended this expertise to Earth-bound safety, developing the C2SM mobile system for detecting and 3D mapping chemical, radiological, and nuclear contamination—a prototype that dramatically boosts situational awareness for first responders operating robotic platforms. Ng also contributed to the high-stakes Hubble Space Telescope Robotic Servicing mission, applying computer vision to enable robotic maintenance of the iconic observatory. More recently, he has advanced intelligent shared control systems that reduce operator cognitive load in cluttered indoor environments. With a career spanning space exploration to CBRN safety, Ng’s work demonstrates a consistent commitment to giving robots—and their human operators—a clearer, safer view of the world.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Vision Based Modeling and Localization for Planetary Exploration Rovers

   72 citations · 2004
2. 2
   C2SM: a mobile system for detecting and 3D mapping of chemical, radiological, and nuclear contamination

   19 citations · 2009
3. 3
   Computer Vision Systems For Robotic Servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope

   11 citations · 2007
4. 4
   Safeguarding autonomy through intelligent shared control

   4 citations · 2017
5. 5
   Increasing situation awareness of the CBRNE robot operators

   2 citations · 2010

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links