Papers
14
Total Citations
288
H-Index
9
About
Chris Leger is a pioneering robotics engineer whose work has profoundly shaped autonomous systems for planetary exploration. His research spans three core areas: computer vision for landing, evolutionary robot design, and cooperative multi-robot systems for extreme terrain. Leger’s most impactful contribution is the development of an image-based velocity estimation system for Mars landing (76 citations), a critical technology enabling precise, safe touchdowns on the Red Planet. He is also the creator of Darwin2K (42 citations), an innovative evolutionary algorithm that automates the synthesis and optimization of robot configurations—a tool that has influenced field robotics design for decades. His work on the "cliff robot" (32 citations)—a team of three tethered robots descending cliffs under tight coordinated control—demonstrated a novel approach to exploring otherwise inaccessible planetary terrain. Leger’s impact extends to NASA flight software simulation (21 citations) and Mars rover operations interfaces (18 citations). His research has directly supported NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers and the Mars Science Laboratory, helping to enable the extraordinary longevity and scientific productivity of Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Darwin2K: An Evolutionary Approach to Automated Design for Robotics42 citations · 2000
- 3Distributed control for a modular, reconfigurable cliff robot32 citations · 2003
- 4Automated Synthesis and Optimization of Robot Configurations27 citations · 1998
- 5Planetary Cliff Descent Using Cooperative Robots24 citations · 2004
- 6Hands-Free Operation of a Small Mobile Robot23 citations · 2001
- 7SSim: NASA Mars Rover Robotics Flight Software Simulation21 citations · 2019
- 8
- 9Automated Task-Based Synthesis and Optimization of Field Robots12 citations · 2018
- 10