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About

Rohan Thakker is a robotics researcher specializing in autonomous systems, extreme terrain navigation, and robotic mobility for challenging and unstructured environments. His work sits at the intersection of perception, planning, and hardware-software integration, with particular emphasis on pushing the boundaries of where robots can operate reliably and independently. Thakker gained significant recognition through his contributions to the DARPA Subterranean Challenge, where he was part of TEAM CoSTAR — a collaboration that claimed victory in Phase II of the competition. The resulting publication, "NeBula," details the sophisticated autonomy stack, algorithms, and system architecture that enabled robots to navigate complex underground environments, accumulating 51 citations and establishing itself as a landmark reference in field robotics. Building on this foundation, Thakker has extended his research toward planetary exploration with the EELS project — a versatile snake robot designed for extreme terrain mobility on ocean worlds like Enceladus and Europa. This work addresses the profound challenge of autonomous navigation where terrain conditions are largely unknown in advance, reflecting both scientific ambition and engineering ingenuity. His research profile demonstrates a consistent commitment to developing robust autonomous systems capable of operating where conventional robots — and humans — cannot easily venture.