Papers
9
Total Citations
65
H-Index
4
About
Shigeru Sarata is a pioneering researcher in mining automation and outdoor robotics, with a career focused on developing autonomous systems for heavy equipment in open-pit mines. His primary research areas include autonomous wheel loader operation, path planning optimization, and robotic rock handling. Sarata's most significant contributions center on automating the scooping and loading operations of wheel loaders—critical machinery in mining. His landmark 2013 paper on using genetic algorithms for path planning (24 citations) established a foundation for optimizing wheel loader trajectories during scooping and loading tasks. He further advanced the field with his 2015 work on simultaneously determining optimal unloading points and paths (15 citations), solving a complex multi-objective optimization problem. Sarata also contributed to autonomous scooping control using disturbance observers (2006, 7 citations) and developed the real-sized autonomous wheel loader "Yamazumi-4," which successfully demonstrated unmanned pile loading operations. His research extends to tracked vehicle control and massive rock handling with breakers, showcasing his comprehensive approach to mining automation. With a career spanning from the 1990s to the present, Sarata's work has been instrumental in addressing the mining industry's critical needs for automation in severe environments and declining operator availability.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 6Path Planning and Path Following Control of an Autonomous Wheel Loader3 citations · 2010
- 7Rock Recognition Using Stereo Vision for Large Rock Breaking Operation3 citations · 2013
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