Zhenwang Yao

Simon Fraser University

Papers

8

Total Citations

202

H-Index

5

About

Zhenwang Yao is a leading researcher in robotics, with a primary focus on motion planning for complex, constrained systems. His seminal work addresses the fundamental challenge of path planning with general end-effector constraints (PPGEC), where a robot’s tool must maintain a specific orientation or pose—such as a manipulator keeping a glass upright. His 2006 paper on this topic, with 78 citations, introduced novel methods that use task space information to efficiently guide configuration space search, a key contribution for redundant robots. Yao’s impact extends to distributed robotics, where he pioneered the use of sensor networks as active navigation aids. His 2011 paper on distributed roadmaps (43 citations) proposed a framework where sensor nodes collaboratively build a map to guide a robot to its goal, integrating path safety and network longevity. This work, along with his backbone-based roadmap approach, has been influential in the field of robotic sensor networks. Yao’s research elegantly bridges theoretical motion planning with practical, distributed systems, making him a notable figure in the advancement of autonomous robot navigation.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

5
H-Index
8
Papers
202
Total Citations
25
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Path planning with general end-effector constraints
78 citations · 2006
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2006 (2 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 1
🏛 Institutions: Simon Fraser University

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 13 days ago