Volker Schmirgel

KUKA (Germany), GALAB Laboratories (Germany)

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Volker Schmirgel’s research centers on **Programming-by-Demonstration (PbD)** for industrial robots, with a particular focus on making robot programming more intuitive and accessible for human technicians. His major contributions lie in developing and evaluating **training accelerators** that help users master robotic systems through **augmented reality (AR)** and **virtual reality (VR)** interfaces. Schmirgel’s work addresses a critical bottleneck in PbD: while manual guidance simplifies programming, technicians still require specialized skills and knowledge of system behavior. To bridge this gap, he designed training environments that combine **haptic and visual feedback**, enabling users to learn robot control more efficiently. His most cited paper (2010, 12 citations) systematically evaluates exemplary training accelerators using a DLR/KUKA light-weight robot, demonstrating how immersive interfaces can accelerate skill acquisition. Though his citation counts are modest, Schmirgel’s research is notable for its practical, user-centered approach—directly tackling the human factors that determine whether PbD succeeds in real-world manufacturing. His work serves as an important foundation for anyone interested in human-robot interaction, intuitive programming interfaces, or the role of extended reality in industrial training.