Shugen Ma
Tianjin University, Ritsumeikan University, Ibaraki University, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Hitachi (Japan), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Schlumberger (Ireland), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Shanghai University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Kumamoto University, University of Hong Kong, Shandong Institute of Automation
Papers
307
Total Citations
5,008
H-Index
35
About
Shugen Ma is a distinguished robotics researcher whose work spans bio-inspired locomotion, mobile robotics, and advanced control systems. Best known for his pioneering contributions to snake-like robot design, Ma has spent decades unraveling the biomechanical principles behind serpentine movement to engineer robots capable of remarkably versatile locomotion. His 2003 analysis of snake movement forms laid critical groundwork for the field, while subsequent studies on CPG-based control and 3D snake robot dynamics further cemented his authority in biologically inspired robotics. Beyond snake robots, Ma has made significant contributions to tracked reconfigurable robots for urban search and rescue, quadruped omnidirectional walking, wall-climbing robots with passive suction cups, and pipeline inspection systems — demonstrating a remarkable breadth of expertise across challenging real-world environments. His 2019 work on extended state observer-based sliding mode control, now garnering over 230 citations, showcases his evolution into sophisticated motion control and friction compensation for omnidirectional platforms. With multiple papers exceeding 100 citations and a combined body of work influencing robotics researchers worldwide, Ma's research has profoundly shaped how engineers approach mobility, adaptability, and autonomous control in complex, unstructured environments.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2CPG-based control of serpentine locomotion of a snake-like robot106 citations · 2010
- 3Analysis of stairs-climbing ability for a tracked reconfigurable modular robot105 citations · 2005
- 4Analysis of snake movement forms for realization of snake-like robots103 citations · 2003
- 5Design of a wall-climbing robot with passive suction cups101 citations · 2010
- 6Omnidirectional static walking of a quadruped robot98 citations · 2005
- 7
- 8
- 9Dynamic analysis of 3-dimensional snake robots68 citations · 2005
- 10Analysis of Creeping Locomotion of a Snake-like Robot on a Slope66 citations · 2006