Thomas Lu

California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Thomas Lu is a pioneering researcher in autonomous robotics, with a primary focus on intelligent perception, navigation, and multi-agent systems for challenging environments. His foundational work on autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) introduced a novel 360-degree visual detection and target tracking system, enabling an ASV to independently identify and follow other vessels at medium to long ranges—a critical capability for maritime security and surveillance. This highly cited paper (64 citations) laid the groundwork for robust, real-world autonomous decision-making in dynamic, unstructured settings. More recently, Lu has advanced the frontier of planetary exploration with his "Collaborative Moonwalkers" concept (2024), which proposes a collective of bio-inspired, deep-learning-driven rovers capable of cooperative, goal-directed lunar navigation with minimal human oversight. This work integrates distributed intelligence and deep learning to achieve unprecedented autonomy for space missions. Through his research, Lu demonstrates a consistent commitment to pushing the boundaries of what autonomous systems can achieve, from Earth's oceans to the lunar surface, making him a notable figure in the field of intelligent robotics.