William McVicker
Papers
2
Total Citations
20
H-Index
2
About
William McVicker is a pioneering figure in the fusion of robotics, underwater surveying, and archaeological preservation. His research centers on developing novel methods for mapping and visualizing ancient, enclosed underwater structures—particularly historical water storage systems—using low-cost, sensor-limited autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). McVicker’s major contribution lies in demonstrating that accurate 2D maps of submerged cisterns can be reconstructed without traditional odometry or motion models. His landmark work, "Mapping and visualizing ancient water storage systems with an ROV," introduced a two-step offline SLAM approach that fuses stationary sonar scans within a particle filter, enabling robust mapping even with only a scanning sonar, compass, and depth sensor. This technique, alongside his earlier study on surface reconstruction of Maltese cisterns using ROV sonar data, has garnered over 20 citations and laid critical groundwork for non-invasive archaeological documentation. By proving that minimal sensor suites can yield high-fidelity spatial reconstructions, McVicker has opened new avenues for exploring and preserving submerged cultural heritage sites that are otherwise inaccessible to divers. His work stands as a vital bridge between field archaeology and autonomous robotics.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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