T. Sumrall

Shizuoka Institute of Science and Technology, University of Florida

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

T. Sumrall is a pioneering researcher in the field of micro-robotics for urban search and rescue, with a focused expertise in developing compact, agile machines for disaster response. Their major contributions center on the creation of micro hopping robots designed to navigate the treacherous, confined environments of collapsed buildings—spaces often less than one foot in diameter—to locate survivors. Sumrall’s work addresses a critical gap in post-disaster technology, where traditional rescue equipment is too large to access rubble piles from earthquakes or terrorist attacks. By integrating simple, yet effective, locomotion mechanisms like micro eccentric motors for hopping, alongside IR sensor modules for thermal human detection, Sumrall engineered robots capable of both mobility and life-sign identification. Their most cited paper, "Micro hopping robot with IR sensor for disaster survivor detection" (2005, 18 citations), demonstrates the foundational impact of this approach, while the follow-up study, "Development of micro rescue robot-human detection" (2005, 6 citations), further refines the concept. Though citation counts are modest, Sumrall’s work is notable for its practical, life-saving potential, inspiring a generation of smaller, more resilient rescue robots. Their research remains a cornerstone in the evolution of micro-robotic systems for humanitarian applications.