John Klingner

About

John Klingner is a leading researcher in swarm robotics, with a focus on low-cost, distributed systems that achieve complex collective behaviors through minimal individual capabilities. His work spans key areas including omnidirectional locomotion, local sensing and communication, fault-tolerant localization, and bio-inspired collective decision-making. Klingner’s most cited paper (34 citations) introduces a stick-slip omnidirectional powertrain using vibration motors, enabling full planar motion for centimeter-scale robots without requiring phase synchronization—a breakthrough for affordable swarm platforms. He also developed a miniature six-channel range and bearing system (29 citations) that allows tiny robots to estimate relative positions using intensity signals, critical for scalable coordination. His contributions to fault-tolerant localization via Covariance Intersection (22 citations) ensure robust state estimation even when individual robots fail, directly addressing real-world deployment challenges. Klingner has also explored human-swarm interaction through augmented reality and simulated chemical reactions with physical robot swarms, demonstrating the versatility of his platforms. With over 140 total citations, his work is foundational for engineers and researchers building resilient, low-cost swarms for environmental monitoring, smart materials, and distributed sensing.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   A stick-slip omnidirectional powertrain for low-cost swarm robotics: Mechanism, calibration, and control

   34 citations · 2014
2. 2
   Miniature six-channel range and bearing system: Algorithm, analysis and experimental validation

   29 citations · 2014
3. 3
   A Response Threshold Sigmoid Function Model for Swarm Robot Collaboration

   22 citations · 2016
4. 4
   Fault-tolerant Covariance Intersection for localizing robot swarms

   22 citations · 2019
5. 5
   Distributed camouflage for swarm robotics and smart materials

   8 citations · 2018
6. 6
   Fault-Tolerant Covariance Intersection for Localizing Robot Swarms

   8 citations · 2019
7. 7
   Augmented reality for human–swarm interaction in a swarm-robotic chemistry simulation

   7 citations · 2022
8. 8
   Simulating Chemical Reactions Using a Swarm of Miniature Robots

   4 citations · 2016
9. 9
   Distributed Camouflage for Swarm Robotics and Smart Materials

   3 citations · 2018
10. 10
    Distributed Camouflage for Swarm Robotics and Smart Materials

    2 citations · 2017

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links