Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Takashi Maekawa is a leading figure in computational geometry and its applications to design, manufacturing, and robotics. His research centers on the mathematical foundations of free-form surfaces, with a seminal contribution in the computation of shortest paths on parametric surfaces—a problem critical to ship design, robot motion planning, and NC machining. This 1996 paper, with 50 citations, remains a foundational reference for efficient and reliable path computation on complex geometries. Maekawa also advances autonomous vehicle navigation, developing a two-lane path planning method for 2.5D environments that maps collision-free 2D paths onto 3D terrains, earning 17 citations. In a creative engineering feat, he pioneered a robotic 3D block printer that automatically converts CAD models into toy brick sculptures, demonstrating a novel intersection of computational geometry and physical assembly. His work on offset curves and surfaces further solidifies his expertise in geometric modeling. Through these contributions, Maekawa bridges theoretical geometry with practical, real-world systems, inspiring students and researchers to explore the power of computational design.