Morris R. Driels

About

Morris R. Driels is a prominent robotics engineer whose career has been defined by pioneering contributions to robot calibration — the science of identifying and correcting kinematic errors in robotic manipulators to improve their accuracy and repeatability. Over several decades, Driels systematically advanced nearly every aspect of this field, from theoretical modeling to practical measurement systems. His foundational work on kinematic modeling established classification hierarchies that organized the state of the art in calibration procedures, earning 115 citations and becoming an essential reference for practitioners. His landmark 1990 study on observation strategy (177 citations) revealed how experimental design profoundly influences the quality of parameter identification — a subtle but critical insight that reshaped how calibration experiments are planned. He also developed innovative measurement tools, including the vision-based automatic theodolite (VBAT), which automated partial-pose measurement using computer vision, and explored passive end-point motion constraints as a low-cost alternative to precision measurement equipment. Complementing this work, Driels proposed a generalized joint model that moved beyond idealized assumptions about joint behavior, and contributed tutorial-level treatments of Newton-Euler robot dynamics. Collectively, his publications have accumulated hundreds of citations, cementing his reputation as a foundational figure in robotic systems engineering and calibration methodology.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Significance of observation strategy on the design of robot calibration experiments

   177 citations · 1990
2. 2
   Kinematic modelling for robot calibration

   115 citations · 2005
3. 3
   Full-pose calibration of a robot manipulator using a coordinate-measuring machine

   101 citations · 1993
4. 4
   Automated partial pose measurement system for manipulator calibration experiments

   59 citations · 1994
5. 5
   Vision-based automatic theodolite for robot calibration

   58 citations · 1991
6. 6
   Using Passive End-Point Motion Constraints to Calibrate Robot Manipulators

   31 citations · 1993
7. 7
   Robot calibration using an automatic theodolite

   29 citations · 1994
8. 8
   Generalized joint model for robot manipulator kinematic calibration and compensation

   28 citations · 1987
9. 9
   Simulation experiments in parameter identification for robot calibration

   21 citations · 1990
10. 10
    The application of newton‐euler recursive methods to the derivation of closed form dynamic equations

    14 citations · 1988

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links