R. Tedrake

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Technische Hochschule Ulm

Papers

Total Citations

172

H-Index

About

R. Tedrake is a leading roboticist whose work bridges motion planning, control theory, and bio-inspired robotics. His research focuses on enabling high-dimensional robots—from manipulators to flying vehicles—to perform complex, agile maneuvers in constrained environments. A major contribution is the development of task-space motion planning algorithms that reduce the complexity of high-DOF systems, as demonstrated in his highly cited 2009 paper on path planning using a task-space Voronoi bias (101 citations). This work, along with his 2008 study on underactuated motion planning (46 citations), provides foundational tools for controlling robots with dynamic constraints, such as walking machines. Tedrake is also known for his pioneering work on "supermaneuverable perching" (22 citations), where he drew inspiration from birds to design aircraft capable of dynamic, aerobatic landings. His more recent work on magnetic localization for perching UAVs on powerlines (2011) showcases his drive to solve real-world infrastructure challenges. With over 170 total citations on these key papers alone, Tedrake’s research has profoundly influenced both the theory and practice of robotic motion planning and control.