Alanson P. Sample

Walt Disney (United States), Seattle University, University of Washington, Sensors (United States), University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Papers

Total Citations

156

H-Index

About

Alanson P. Sample is a leading researcher in autonomous systems, RFID technology, and human-robot interaction. His work focuses on bridging the gap between physical sensing and intelligent decision-making, enabling robots and computers to seamlessly interact with people and infrastructure. Sample's most notable contribution is the development of ID-Match, a hybrid computer vision and RFID system that allows autonomous robots to rapidly identify and locate individuals in group settings—a breakthrough for personalized, real-time interaction. This work, published in 2016, has garnered over 80 citations across its two related papers, underscoring its impact on the field. He also pioneered autonomous robotic monitoring for distributed infrastructures, such as underground cable systems, with his 2006 papers earning over 45 citations. In a more recent innovation, Sample introduced Polaris (2024), a vision-free fiducial system using magnetic constellations for mobile robot navigation, addressing key limitations of traditional visual markers like occlusion and energy overhead. His research consistently emphasizes practical, deployable solutions that enhance robot autonomy in real-world environments, making him a key figure in advancing intelligent, responsive robotic systems.