Idar U. Haugstuen

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Papers

Total Citations

122

H-Index

About

Idar U. Haugstuen is a robotics researcher specializing in the control of bio-inspired snake robots, with a particular focus on path following in planar environments. His major contributions center on the development and validation of cascaded control architectures that enable snake robots to autonomously track straight-line paths using the lateral undulation gait. Haugstuen’s seminal 2011 paper, “Path Following Control of Planar Snake Robots Using a Cascaded Approach,” has garnered 97 citations, establishing it as a foundational reference in snake robot locomotion. In this work, he proved that, under the condition of nonzero forward velocity, the proposed controller achieves exponential stability of the robot’s distance to the desired path, combining a line-of-sight guidance law with propulsion control. His subsequent experimental investigation (2010, 8 citations) provided critical empirical validation, bridging theory and practice. Haugstuen’s research has advanced the understanding of how to achieve precise, stable motion control in limbless robots—a key challenge for applications in search-and-rescue, inspection, and exploration. His work remains influential for students and researchers in nonlinear control and bio-inspired robotics.