Marat Rafikov

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About

Marat Rafikov is a researcher specializing in the control and navigation of autonomous mobile robots, with a particular focus on underwater and wheeled systems. His work bridges nonlinear dynamics, optimal control theory, and robotics to solve complex trajectory tracking problems. His most cited paper, "Optimal Control of an Underwater Glider Vehicle" (2017, 29 citations), addresses the challenge of guiding a new class of energy-efficient AUVs—underwater gliders—that replace traditional thrusters with buoyancy-driven propulsion. Rafikov’s innovative approach to trajectory control and navigation has made this a foundational reference in the field. He also explores unconventional methods, such as synchronizing mobile robots to chaotic trajectories (2016), where he adapts master-slave synchronization principles to generate complex, unpredictable paths. Earlier work (2009) compares linear and nonlinear control strategies for wheeled mobile robots, demonstrating the effectiveness of the State Dependent Riccati Equation (SDRE) method. While his citation counts reflect a focused, emerging impact, Rafikov’s contributions are notable for their originality—particularly in applying chaos theory to robotics—and for advancing the practical deployment of autonomous underwater vehicles in environmental monitoring and exploration.