Papers
7
Total Citations
127
H-Index
6
About
Marc Donner is a pioneering roboticist whose research spans autonomous navigation, legged locomotion, and human-robot interaction. His most influential work, "Design of an Autonomous Robot for Mapping, Navigation, and Manipulation in Underground Mines" (47 citations), addresses the critical challenge of deploying robots in hazardous underground environments, where traditional sensors and software fail. This design enables safer mining operations by equipping robots to autonomously map, navigate, and manipulate objects in harsh conditions. Donner’s foundational contributions to walking robotics are equally significant: his 1986 paper "Real-Time Control of Walking" (44 citations) explores the locality of control in animal locomotion, drawing on insect and spinal cat experiments to inform robot gait generation. He also developed OWL, a specialized programming language for real-time concurrent control of a six-legged walking robot, detailed in two 1983 papers (14 combined citations). Beyond these core areas, Donner has advanced tour guide robotics, notably through "Awakening History" (9 citations), which integrates augmented reality projection for museum exhibits, and a Wizard of Oz study (6 citations) that eases public deployment. His work on a real-time juggling robot (7 citations) further demonstrates his versatility in dynamic control. With a career bridging theoretical locomotion principles and practical field robotics, Donner’s research continues to inspire safer, more capable autonomous systems.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Real-Time Control of Walking44 citations · 1986
- 3The design of OWL a language for walking11 citations · 1983
- 4
- 5A Real-Time Juggling Robot.7 citations · 1986
- 6
- 7The design of OWL a language for walking3 citations · 1983