Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

R.J. Richards is a distinguished robotics and control systems researcher whose work has significantly advanced the fields of robot manipulation, vision-guided control, and variable-structure systems. With a career spanning several decades, Richards has made foundational contributions to the challenge of achieving robust, accurate robot control in real-world industrial environments. Perhaps his most impactful contribution is his pioneering work on eye-to-hand coordination for vision-guided robot control, which has garnered 80 citations and addressed critical limitations in camera-to-robot calibration for automated manufacturing. Equally influential is his development of computed torque techniques combined with variable-structure systems (VSS) theory for robust trajectory tracking, accumulating 66 citations and providing lasting theoretical insight into nonlinear manipulator control. Richards has also made notable advances in sliding mode control for both electrically powered and hydraulic industrial robots, demonstrating versatility across different actuator technologies. His later work extended these methods into adaptive force/trajectory control, tackling unknown environmental dynamics with elegance. Altogether, Richards has amassed over 240 citations, reflecting sustained influence across academic and industrial robotics communities. His research remains essential reading for engineers designing high-performance, robust robotic systems.