Jason Okerman

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Technical College

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Jason Okerman’s research lies at the intersection of robotics, perception, and human-environment interaction, with a focus on enabling robots to operate intelligently in cluttered, real-world spaces. His work addresses fundamental challenges in robotic manipulation, particularly how machines can perceive and interact with everyday objects and mechanical systems. In his highly cited 2010 paper, “Perceiving clutter and surfaces for object placement in indoor environments” (46 citations), Okerman advanced methods for segmenting flat surfaces from the objects resting on them—a critical step for robots to autonomously pick and place items in messy, domestic settings. This contribution has informed subsequent work in scene understanding and task planning. Complementing this, his study “The complex structure of simple devices: A survey of trajectories and forces that open doors and drawers” (19 citations) systematically captured the mechanics of common household fixtures, providing essential data for robots performing instrumental activities of daily living. By bridging perception and physical interaction, Okerman has helped lay the groundwork for assistive robots that can navigate and manipulate human environments with greater autonomy and reliability.