About

Tiago Vaquero is a robotics researcher whose work spans autonomous systems, multi-robot coordination, AI planning, and space exploration robotics. He is perhaps best known for his pivotal contributions to the DARPA Subterranean Challenge as a member of Team CoSTAR, where his work on the NeBula framework advanced the state of robotic autonomy in GPS-denied, communication-degraded underground environments—earning over 100 citations. His research on communication-aware multi-robot systems, including the ACHORD framework and PropEM-L signal modeling, addresses the fundamental challenge of maintaining coordination when connectivity is unreliable. Vaquero has also made significant strides in space exploration robotics, leading work on EELS—a versatile snake-like robot designed to navigate extreme terrain on icy worlds like Enceladus—demonstrating his ability to translate autonomous systems research toward high-stakes planetary science missions. Earlier in his career, he applied AI planning and scheduling to socially assistive robotics, developing systems to support elderly residents in long-term care settings, reflecting a breadth of human-centered robotics expertise. With over 400 cumulative citations across diverse domains, Vaquero exemplifies a researcher whose technical rigor bridges terrestrial, subterranean, and extraterrestrial frontiers of autonomous robotics.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

10
H-Index
22
Papers
457
Total Citations
21
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
NeBula: Quest for Robotic Autonomy in Challenging Environments; TEAM\n CoSTAR at the DARPA Subterranean Challenge
105 citations · 2021
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2022 (5 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 220
🏛 Institutions: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 14 days ago