Udo Frese

About

Udo Frese is a prominent robotics researcher whose work spans simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), robot control, and real-time perception systems. He is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking contributions to SLAM algorithms, particularly his development of multigrid-inspired approaches that dramatically improved computational efficiency. His landmark 2005 paper introducing a multilevel relaxation algorithm for SLAM (288 citations) and his celebrated Treemap algorithm — achieving an remarkable O(log n) complexity for indoor mapping (125 citations) — fundamentally advanced the field's ability to scale to large, complex environments. His 2006 demonstration of closing a loop over one million landmarks showcased the practical power of these methods. Beyond mapping, Frese made significant contributions to robot manipulation and human-robot interaction, including work on Cartesian impedance control for DLR's light-weight arms (277 citations), a highly influential result in flexible joint robotics. His research also extends to dynamic real-world challenges, including pioneering systems for catching flying balls using stereo vision and multiple hypothesis tracking, and developing real-time self-collision detection for humanoid robots. Through this diverse yet cohesive body of work — accumulating hundreds of citations across multiple domains — Frese has established himself as a versatile and impactful figure in modern robotics research.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   A multilevel relaxation algorithm for simultaneous localization and mapping

   288 citations · 2005
2. 2
   Cartesian impedance control of redundant robots: recent results with the DLR-light-weight-arms

   277 citations · 2004
3. 3
   Treemap: An O(log n) algorithm for indoor simultaneous localization and mapping

   125 citations · 2006
4. 4
   Off-the-shelf vision for a robotic ball catcher

   102 citations · 2002
5. 5
   Kick it with elasticity: Safety and performance in human–robot soccer

   67 citations · 2009
6. 6
   Closing a Million-Landmarks Loop

   63 citations · 2006
7. 7
   Real-time swept volume and distance computation for self collision detection

   62 citations · 2011
8. 8
   Realtime perception for catching a flying ball with a mobile humanoid

   48 citations · 2011
9. 9
   Treemap: An O(log n) Algorithm for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping

   45 citations · 2005
10. 10
    A Multigrid Approach for Accelerating Relaxation-Based SLAM

    45 citations · 2003

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links