Andrew Howardy

Papers

Total Citations

274

H-Index

About

Andrew Howard is a leading figure in legged robotics and autonomous navigation, best known for his pioneering work with BigDog, Boston Dynamics' quadrupedal robot. His research focuses on developing perception and control systems that enable robots to traverse unstructured, rough terrain without human intervention. Howard's most cited work, "Autonomous navigation for BigDog" (2010, 274 citations), demonstrates his major contribution: equipping a high-mobility robot with laser scanners and stereo vision to achieve goal-directed, self-guided movement in challenging outdoor environments. This breakthrough bridged the gap between dynamic locomotion and real-world autonomy, showing that legged robots could not only walk but also see and decide where to go. Beyond BigDog, Howard has advanced state estimation, path planning, and sensor fusion for field robotics. His work has had a lasting impact on military, search-and-rescue, and exploration robotics, inspiring a generation of researchers to push legged machines from lab curiosities into capable, autonomous agents.