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Michael E. Cleary is a pioneering figure in assistive robotics, whose work centers on developing intuitive, shared-control interfaces for mobile robots—most notably, the deictically controlled wheelchair. His core research integrates deictic visual servoing, human-robot interaction, and adaptive control to empower users with reduced mobility. Cleary’s major contribution is a systematic framework that allows a user to command a robot through simple, high-level gestures or video-based cues, while the robot handles low-level navigation and obstacle avoidance. This shared-control paradigm is documented across his most cited works, including "Progress on the deictically controlled wheelchair" (2006, 24 citations) and its earlier 1996 iteration (16 citations), which together lay the foundation for a robot that can be "commanded simply and accurately." His 2002 paper on "Canonical targets for mobile robot control by deictic visual servoing" (9 citations) further refines the visual targets needed for general-purpose navigation. Cleary’s impact is also seen in his work on adaptive stereo vision (1994, 5 citations) and his contributions to DARPA’s Throwbot program (2001, 3 citations), demonstrating the versatility of his approach. Through his thesis and user instruction systems, Cleary has systematically transformed ad hoc control methods into a robust, real-world navigation solution, making him a key innovator in accessible robotic mobility.