Jeff S. McGough

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Jeff S. McGough’s research lies at the intersection of robotics, distributed manipulation, and autonomous systems, with a focus on enabling machines to perform complex, human-oriented tasks in challenging environments. His most cited work, “Simulation of detecting and climbing a ladder for a humanoid robot” (2013, 7 citations), addresses a critical challenge from the DARPA Robotics Challenge: equipping humanoid robots to navigate industrial disaster scenarios. McGough’s contributions here involve developing algorithms for a robot to recognize, locate, and climb a wall-mounted metal ladder—a deceptively difficult task requiring precise perception, balance, and motion planning. This work has informed subsequent research in disaster-response robotics and autonomous locomotion. In parallel, his paper “A distributed manipulation concept using selective braking” (2014, 6 citations) introduces an innovative approach to object positioning and orientation. By applying selective braking forces on objects moving within a uniform force field, McGough demonstrates a novel method for precise, low-cost manipulation without complex actuators. While his citation counts reflect a focused, emerging impact, these papers showcase his ability to tackle foundational problems in robotics—from whole-body control to distributed systems—making his work valuable for researchers in autonomous navigation, manipulation, and field robotics.