Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Patrick Mihelich is a roboticist whose work bridges the critical gap between perception and autonomous manipulation. His research centers on visual mapping for mobile robotics and the development of robust, real-world interaction skills for personal robots. Mihelich’s most influential contribution is the concept of “View-based Maps,” detailed in his 2010 paper (224 citations), which enables robots to create and use visual maps in real-time for applications ranging from autonomous driving to in-home manipulation. This work provides a practical alternative to traditional metric maps by retaining stereo views of the environment. Demonstrating the power of this perception system, his 2010 paper on autonomous door opening and plugging in (176 citations) showcases a robot reliably navigating an office, opening doors, and recharging itself—a landmark achievement in long-term autonomy. Earlier in his career, Mihelich contributed to the NASA ATHLETE rover project, developing the FootFall toolset for terrain reconstruction and stability analysis to enable walking on extraterrestrial surfaces. Through these contributions, Mihelich has advanced the frontier of robots that can both see and act in complex, unstructured environments.