Elizabeth Fudge

Rice University, Stonewall Learning Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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About

Elizabeth Fudge is a pioneering researcher in multi-robot systems, with a primary focus on decentralized coordination under minimal sensing constraints. Her most significant contribution is the introduction of **scale-free coordinates**, a novel framework that enables large populations of robots to estimate relative positions and orientations using only bearing-only sensors—without requiring distance measurements or global positioning. This breakthrough, detailed in her highly cited 2013 paper (28 citations), addresses a fundamental challenge in scaling multi-robot networks, where traditional coordinate systems become impractical. By allowing each robot to know the relative geometry of its neighbors up to an unknown scaling factor, Fudge’s work has opened new pathways for robust, low-cost swarm robotics in GPS-denied environments. Beyond her theoretical contributions, Fudge is also recognized for her commitment to STEM outreach, as demonstrated by her co-authored 2008 paper (4 citations) on the "Trash Can Robot" project—a student-led initiative at Rockwall High School, Texas, that built a talking, remote-controlled robot to inspire public interest in robotics. This blend of rigorous algorithmic innovation and hands-on educational impact underscores Fudge’s unique role as both a technical leader and a mentor shaping the next generation of roboticists.