Pekka Forsman
University of Helsinki, Aalto University, University of Technology
Papers
11
Total Citations
250
H-Index
7
About
Pekka Forsman is a pioneering researcher whose work spans the frontiers of autonomous robotics, from forest automation to unconventional robot locomotion. His primary research areas include simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for natural environments, 3D perception of unstructured terrain, and the dynamic modeling of ball-shaped robots. Forsman’s most influential contribution is his development of real-time SLAM systems for forest harvesters, where he combined 2D laser scanning with GPS to generate incremental tree maps—a foundational approach that has garnered 69 citations. He further advanced environmental modeling with a method for constructing 3D geometric models of large-scale natural scenes containing trees, cited 57 times. In a striking shift, Forsman also explored the mechanics of pendulum-driven ball-shaped robots, producing dynamic models for obstacle crossing and motion control. His 2016 paper on this topic has attracted 29 citations, demonstrating the breadth of his impact. With a career that bridges practical forestry automation and theoretical robotics dynamics, Forsman’s work has shaped how robots perceive and navigate complex, unstructured environments.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Simultaneous Localization and Mapping for Forest Harvesters69 citations · 2007
- 23-D mapping of natural environments with trees by means of mobile perception57 citations · 2005
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- 6Best-first branch and bound search method for map based localization8 citations · 2011
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- 8Model-Based On-Site Description of Robotized Processings6 citations · 1988
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- 10Gyroscopic Precession In Motion Modelling Of Ball-Shaped Robots5 citations · 2014