Michael Vlahos
Papers
1
Total Citations
6
H-Index
1
About
Michael Vlahos is a marine roboticist whose work centers on the development of accessible, low-cost underwater robotic platforms for multi-vehicle control research. His most notable contribution is the PVC-ROV testbed, a pioneering system of three inexpensive, hobby-class underwater vehicles built from PVC frames, bilge-pump motors, and microcontrollers. This design, detailed in his 2014 paper "An Underwater Robotic Testbed for Multi-vehicle Control," has garnered 6 citations and remains a foundational reference for researchers seeking to democratize underwater robotics. By creating a reproducible, low-barrier platform, Vlahos enabled broader experimentation in cooperative control, swarm behavior, and underwater sensing—areas traditionally limited by the high cost of commercial ROVs. His work exemplifies how clever engineering can open new frontiers in field robotics, making multi-vehicle underwater research more accessible to labs with limited budgets. Vlahos’s contributions continue to inspire students and researchers building their own low-cost autonomous underwater vehicles.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1An underwater robotic testbed for multi-vehicle control6 citations · 2014