Kirill Van Heerden
Papers
8
Total Citations
65
H-Index
4
About
Kirill Van Heerden is a robotics researcher whose work centers on the control and trajectory planning of bipedal and humanoid robots, with a particular focus on achieving dynamic, stable locomotion in complex environments. His major contributions lie in the development of real-time trajectory planners that allow humanoid robots to walk with variable center of mass (COM) height and adaptive foot placement—a significant departure from the constant-height models that previously limited robot mobility. His most-cited paper, "Real-Time Variable Center of Mass Height Trajectory Planning for Humanoids Robots" (2016, 28 citations), introduces a nonlinear model predictive control approach that simultaneously optimizes COM height and foot positions while respecting zero-moment point constraints, enabling more natural and versatile gaits. Van Heerden has also advanced the field of force-constrained control, developing methods to prevent foot slippage and tipping by limiting joint torques based on ground reaction forces. His work on reactive stepping and integrated walking-jumping motion planning further demonstrates his commitment to creating robots capable of navigating uneven terrain and obstacles. With a cumulative citation count exceeding 60, Van Heerden’s research has laid foundational groundwork for the next generation of agile, dynamically-stable bipedal robots.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 8Landing trajectory generation for bipedal jumping motion2 citations · 2010